Because of the global Covid-19 pandemic terrorizing the world, most professional workers are forced to transition to work from home. While there are a lot of advantages to working remotely, some people find this to be very challenging especially if you are a parent. Working from home while taking care of the family can be a very daunting task. Some might even think it's impossible.
Now, how can you be a productive worker while being a good parent at the same time?
Here are some practical tips on how to deal with distractions from your family while working from home.
1. Develop a Routine
The first thing that you need to do is to develop a routine for you and the whole family. Routines promote health and wellness by providing structure and organization. For children, routines bring about comfort and consistency. Not having a defined routine might make it difficult for you to keep track of things that you need to accomplish for the day.
An example of a set routine could be waking up early in the morning, taking a bath, preparing breakfast for the family, doing some household chores before getting started with your work tasks for the day. Remember that a steady routine reduces stress and strengthens family relationships. Moreover, it makes planning activities and managing your time way easier.
2. Communicate with the Family
Always remember that communication is the key. Start by explaining to your family why it's important that you must not be disturbed. Specify the hours that you hope not to be interrupted and the situations under which an exception can be made. Also, working from home does not mean you are exempted from doing household chores. In order to lighten your load, you can delegate chores to your family members. This is also a good way to develop basic skills that your kids can use later in life.
3. Create your own Workspace
Another way to deal with distractions is to create your own workspace at home. Having your own space will give you greater privacy and will help you focus more on your work. It would be ideal to have all your work equipment in one place to avoid continually moving yourself and your things around just to find a spot that is conducive for working.
However, as a parent, you also wanted to keep your kids close by while you are working on your tasks. In this case, you can opt to have your workspace that is adjacent to your kid's room in case they will need you.
4. Schedule Short Breaks to Spend Time with your Kids
Children constantly need attention. They wanted to be cuddled or played with or talked to by their parents. Kids need attention in order for them to grow, develop their self-esteem, and flourish. As a parent who is working from home, you can schedule short breaks from work in order to spend some time with your children. You can play with them, read a book, or even share a meal. Remember not to ignore them when they need you or they will get agitated and might throw a tantrum.
5. Maximize Productivity During Nap Times
Nap times are advantageous not just to the kids but to you as well. If your kids sleep for about 3 hours during nap times, you can use this time to be extra productive in your work. You can schedule your most tedious task during this time in order to work on it uninterruptedly.
However, you also need to exercise discipline and focus on your tasks. Do not be distracted by social media by constantly browsing on your mobile phones. To avoid these unnecessary distractions, you can opt to log out of your accounts during your working hours.
6. Be Ready for Interruptions
You're on a conference call, suddenly your toddler barges in and asks to watch tv or wants to have some snack, and your client on the other end is left listening to all your kids' whining and you profusely apologizing for the interruption. This is definitely one horror story for every parent working from home. In cases like this, it's better to just hit that mute button during conference calls in order to avoid the startling yells of "Mommy, I need you!" in the background.
One thing that would also be really helpful is to set up your snacks in a corner where you can easily reach them so that when a child asks for them, it wouldn't be so hard for you to get them.
You can also teach younger kids how to fetch water for themselves.
7. Cut Yourself Some Slack
If you're trying your hardest right now to work from home while taking care of your family, remember that it doesn't make you a bad parent or a less productive employee. It just means that working from home with the family is truly hard. This is especially difficult and confusing for your kids who may not understand why you can't be playing with them all the time when you're home.
You can Google all the tips that you think would help you but at the end of the day, all you got to do is really just figure it out as you go. Remember though, that you are not alone.