3 Tips for Working from Home with Kids
Balancing work and home life during the latest lockdown is taking its toll on parents across the UK. With schools closed, parents are once again trying to juggle home schooling, childcare and their career on a daily basis.
To help relieve some of this pressure and ensure you still have a productive working day, here are a few tips on working from home with kids…
Plan Ahead
Spend some time each evening planning a schedule for the day ahead. This could include a plan of activities to keep your children busy and a plan of your own work load. It is a good idea to look at the work ahead of you and prioritise the most important work first. Try to do any difficult tasks when you know your children will give you the most amount of undisturbed time. For example, if they are usually quiet first thing in the morning, this could be your ideal opportunity to get an hour of solid work done.
Keep them busy
To help you get some peace and quiet in order to do your work, make sure that your children have plans that do not require your supervision. For example set them up with paper and pencils and let them have some art time. Then after lunch change the activity and give them something else to do like playdoh. Don’t feel bad if you need to add some screen time into the mix. There are some great children’s learning resources available on television and online.
Make a workspace
It is really important to have a designated workspace where you ‘go to work’. Working from the sofa in your pyjamas will not give your children the impression that you have something important to do and it also won’t help you to get into the right mind-set for work. Create a professional workspace to help your children understand that you are at work and should not be disturbed.
Remember to take regular breaks and spend time with your children. They will also be looking for reassurance during this unsettling time. Don’t be afraid to talk to your employer if you are struggling to keep up with your work. The majority of employers will be in a similar situation and will be happy to offer flexible working hours to suit your family’s needs.
