6 Work From Home Tips for Parents
More parents are working from home than ever before. And this number will only increase in the coming months and years. If you’re one of these parents, figuring out how to remain focused, productive, and effective in your job is integral to your success as a professional and as a parent.
6 Work From Home Tips
Whether you’re working from home part-time or full-time, it’s important to have a plan. Here are some strategic tips and tactics you can use to get more done:
1. Establish Daily Routines
Routine is one of the elements that often disappears when parents suddenly shift from a traditional workplace to working from home. You go from having a predictable set of systems and practices to a melting pot of chaos. Something must be done, otherwise you’ll fail to accomplish anything (personally or professionally).
“The first step is to keep the structure of the day the same as it has typically been,” Avni Patel Thompson writes for Harvard Business Review. “Beyond the benefits of familiarity, maintaining a regular schedule will give you firm guideposts for building your work and childcare schedules.”
At first, your new routines will feel foreign and misplaced. But give it at least two weeks of consistent effort and things will eventually fall into place. If after two weeks you don’t feel good about the routines you’ve established, switch things up and give it another go.
2. Choose Your Office Wisely
Be smart about where you situate your home office. Here are a few rules of thumb to follow:
- Avoid working out of your bedroom if at all possible. You need a separate space for working and sleeping, otherwise you’ll find that the two converge at the worst possible times. (It’ll become more difficult to turn off and go to sleep. Likewise, you’ll feel sleepier when you’re supposed to be working.)
- If you have the luxury of choosing from multiple rooms, choose the one that’s farthest away from the most commonly used rooms (like the kitchen, living room, or playroom).
- Choose a room that has a door so that you can open and close it to modulate your privacy throughout the day.
At the end of the day, you’re forced to work with what you have. However, when given a choice between spaces, select the one that’s most conducive to focus and productivity.
3. Soundproof Your House
If you have lots of children in your house, you may need to look into soundproofing to minimize distractions. One of the best options is to use absorbent decor in your home office and the rooms that get the most use. (Try laying down thick rugs, using heavy curtains, and/or installing built-in bookcases on interior shared walls.)
4. Set Your Work Hours
When working from home, you need to set precise and consistent work hours. Not only does this put you in the right frame of mind, but it also establishes some routine for your children. During work hours, make it clear that you are only accessible in emergencies. (Define what an emergency is so that your children aren’t left guessing.)
5. Avoid Distractions
The presence of distractions is one of the more challenging aspects of working from home. Whether it’s TV, video games, household chores, your spouse and children, or hobbies, it can feel as if there’s always something competing for your attention.
Remove any easy fodder by establishing clear boundaries and implementing techniques that allow you to be successful. (If video games are a distraction, sell the console. If you constantly feel the need to clean, make sure the house is in tip-top shape each night before going to bed.)
6. Make Time for Your Personal Life
When you live and work in the same space, it’s easy to let your work life spill over into your personal life. Some spillage is fine, but too much will eventually compromise your relationships. Just as you set hours for work, be conscientious about setting hours for personal time with your spouse, children, and friends.
Putting it All Together
Anytime two worlds collide, there will be friction. As a parent, working from home requires you to reconcile your work life and personal life in the same physical setting. And though it’s certainly difficult and challenging, it doesn’t have to negatively impact your productivity and/or quality of output. By utilizing the tips outlined in this article, you can set yourself up for long-term success in spite of less than ideal circumstances.