Tips for Working from Home with Kids

For people who are new to working from home or who are pushed into it by circumstances, the move can feel overwhelming. Veterans of working at home with children have learned strategies to aid in juggling everything under one roof. These tips can help make the process more manageable to people who are learning to work from home with kids.

Establish rules around food.

Snacks! Second breakfast! Late dinner! When everyone is at home all of the time, it is possible to create a continuous grazing habit because you are bored or just because it is simple to get off-kilter when work, play, and comfort are under the same roof. Setting boundaries around food from the beginning can help to keep everything on track. Clearly mark what snacks are available, whether it is through a specific basket or a list. Let everyone know when meals will be and who is responsible for making them.

Be flexible with your schedule.

For many work from home parents, there is no such thing as a 9 to 5 day. Instead, work may be done at 5 in the morning or 10 at night. Set boundaries but also know that chunking work or school activities throughout the day also may be the best way to make everything work so that there is time for all of the activities that need to happen under one roof. Don’t focus on replicating the office environment at home because that is complicated. Instead, find a comfortable spot and try to focus on one part of your life at a time. As long as everyone knows what is expected and when, it should be easier to manage. For example, toddler nap time is a great time to work. Older kids can watch a movie or play games to let parents work uninterrupted.

Use a sticky note calendar to set up the day.

Along with being flexible, a loose calendar can help to let you know that you are being productive at times when that seems impossible. For children or household projects - or even for Mom or Dad’s work schedule - make a simple poster board with 3 columns: To Do, In Progress, Done. Write down each task that needs to be done and put it in the first column. Throughout the day, everyone can move the sticky notes as needed. Check in at the end of the day, especially noting if some tasks aren’t moving. This type of system can keep everyone on task.

Keep a list of fun activities and have them available.

One of the stumbling blocks for working from home is having enough activities for children to do, especially if you are accustomed to being a family on the go instead of spending time at home. Make a list of fun ideas for what your kids can do when you are busy working. Put the supplies in one place and include the list. Depending on your children’s age, activities like draw a picture, do a science experiment, complete a puzzle, play a board game, etc. are great ideas. Include some physical activity ideas as well such as jumping rope or having a dance party.

Make time to enjoy each other’s company.

When working from home, it can be difficult to keep a healthy work-life balance, which often leads to irritation and short tempers. Instead of being frustrated with the others in your household, try to find some time each day to check in. Let everyone share how work or school or play is going. Then talk about anything you could improve or your next day. Just chat with each other and have a good time. Have a purposeful down time with everyone each day will reduce any pent-up annoyances.