Tips for Working From Home with Kids

Happy Wednesday, Lovelies!

Today I thought I would cover a topic that can be a challenge for anyone….working from home with kids!

The majority of us have had a taste of what it is like to work from home over the past several months. Of course, that comes with many transitions if that isn’t “the normal” for you. One thing that can make working from home a particularly big challenge is if you have children at home with you. If I am being completely honest, it’s impossible to parent and work at the same time.

As someone who has been a working from home mom for several years now, I have a few tips that I think might help. Especially for those of you who are new to working from home. With the possibility of our kids being home with us for the upcoming year of school, I thought now would be the perfect time to share these tips with you!

Working from home can mean many different things. Maybe you have flexibility in your schedule, maybe your days are regimented and require you to be completely “on” all day. My biggest piece of advice to any parent working from home is to identify the pockets of time that you can work, and base the rest of your at-home schedule around those times.

What I have quickly realized with my own daughter is that she needs a schedule. I typically wake-up earlier than her, knock out my workout and tidy up the house. Then the first half of the day we spend time doing things for her whether it’s reading books, playing a game, running around the backyard, etc. This typically allows me to have a little bit more time to work in the afternoon without interruptions because she has her “down time” then.

Before I get into further detail, here are my tips:

Make Your Bed & Get Your Sweat On:

My mom was a big “make your bed” person when I was growing up, and it’s still something I do to this day. There is just something about making the bed that feels productive and starts the day off on the right foot.

Maybe you aren’t into exercising. For me, it is what keeps me sane. I get my workout in first thing in the morning and feel great checking it off the list. Having a moment or two to yourself can really change your outlook and make you feel accomplished before the day even gets started.

Get Dressed:

It doesn’t have to be anything crazy. Sometimes I am in sweatpants (right now). But changing out of your pajamas is one of those other “mental tips” that really helps you start to be productive.

Stay On a Schedule as Best as Possible:

I am sure every parent reading this just laughed. I can’t remember a day that we stuck to a schedule perfectly, but kids thrive on routine just as much as we do. Typically this is what our schedule looks like:

7:00 AM: I wake up, take the dog out, make Lilly breakfast

8:00-9:00 AM: I workout/Lilly plays or watches a show

9:00 AM-12:00 PM: Workbooks/playing outside/playing a game

12:00 PM-2:00 PM: Lilly eats lunch and has downtime/I work

2:00 PM-4:00 PM: Lilly and I usually play and I also try to tidy up the house/unload dishwasher etc.

4:00 PM-6:00 PM: I work until it’s time to make dinner/Lilly watches TV

6:00 PM-7:30 PM: Dinnertime

7:30 PM-8:00 PM: Family Walk

8:00 PM-9:00 PM: Lilly’s bedtime

9:00 PM-10:30ish PM: I respond to e-mails/do small work things

I know this looks very regimented on paper, but as I said, I can’t remember a time that we followed this schedule perfectly. We simply do our best. I do notice on the days Lilly isn’t on schedule her behavior is worse.

You know your family better than anyone else. Make a schedule that works for you.

Keep Your House Tidy:

When I first started working from home I found that I really struggled to work when the house was a mess. Now, I clean our house in small bursts to make sure it’s relatively clean. It’s amazing how much easier it is for me to concentrate when I don’t have dishes or laundry looming over me.

If Needed, Work At Night:

I know for me, this is never ideal because I am exhausted at the end of the day, but find those pockets of time whether it’s nap time, early in the morning, or after the kids go to bed and work when you are alone.

Try to Separate Mom Time (or Dad Time) and Work Time:

This was much easier when Lilly was at preschool because I dedicated those three hours she was at school to getting through the bulk of my work. Now this is more of challenge since our kids have been home with us, but like I said above, what works best for me, is spending the first half of the day dedicated to mom time, and working the second half of the day. Sometimes we go to the pool in the afternoon, so I flip and flop often, but it’s nearly impossible to do both at the same time.

Give Yourself Grace:

I was talking to another mom the other day about motherhood guilt. Whether you work from home, stay at home, or leave your home to work. There is never a perfect life balance. You always feel like you are not doing enough. Know that you are. Do the best you can. Give yourself grace. Your family sees how hard you are working, and love you regardless of your imperfections.

So in summary, find those pockets of time, try to separate mom/home life from work life as much as possible, stick to a schedule, and give yourself so much grace. Flexibility has become something I am very good at as a mom. Remember that most days won’t go as planned and that’s okay. We’ve got this!