Working from home with kids is the new normal for most families these days. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, home office hours tend to be mixed up with family time. So how are we supposed to find that sometimes elusive balance between work and family?
1. Accept flexibility in your work schedule
The first thing you need to accept is that you will have to be more flexible with your home office hours. Be mentally prepared and also discuss with your superiors and co-workers your challenges. You might find support systems set up by your company during these times and creative ideas from co-workers that find themselves in this new situation.
Work with your partner to set up complementing working schedules so that you take turns watching the children. Sharing your home office with your partner also requires some planning, so you can start here.
2. Create and strengthen a schedule for your kids
If you have someone to help with your kids, it’s easier to create that work-family balance. But even then, daily activities that enhance your children’s creativity while allowing you to work are a good way to teach them about self-discipline.
Daily reminders of how important everyone’s schedule is can easily become a ritual while creating the feeling of sticking together. Breakfast time can become a family meeting time that sets up the expectations for the day ahead. This also helps your children feel trusted, supported, and part of the decision-making.
3. Find ways to become more productive
If productivity was not one of your strengths, you might want to consider focusing on that first. Working from home with kids around is a challenge for your productive time. Prioritize health, family, and work over anxiety and you will find yourself too busy with gratefulness to worry over things you can’t change.
Techniques and strategies that increase your productivity will have to become priorities if you want to make the most of that quiet work time. You might want to start here: the difference between home office motivation and home office discipline.
4. Teach your kids to be self-disciplined
Isn’t this the perfect time to teach your kids self-discipline by modeling it! Switch your perspective and teach your children the importance of a disciplined mind by leading by example. Children also need routines but don’t expect your kids to understand things at your level.
You can easily make it a game where they win something if they do certain tasks. Apps like Forest can help both you and your kids stay on track. Not only that, you can help plant trees in the real world by using this app.
5. Use your breaks wisely together
Creating meaningful family time during breaks is a powerful tool to keep routines flowing. Enjoy time spent together during breaks, take walks, play together, eat together, do all those little things with a big impact that makes you all feel closer.
Remember and teach your kids to be grateful
Even though these are challenging times, we’re all doing our best to balance our lives. It’s important to be grateful for having the technology that allows us to keep a healthy distance while still being able to take care of our families and do our jobs.