Being a work-at-home parent has many advantages. The most obvious one being that you get to spend more time with your kids. It also saves you money on childcare, travel expenses and leaves you with flexible work hours. Not to mention the fact that you can work in your pajamas if you really want to. However, sometimes it can be hard to get things done when the kids are running around, so here are some tips to keep them quiet and occupied so you can get your work done.
Plan a Schedule
As a work-at-home mom or dad you cannot just wing it through your work day, you must have a schedule in place. Plan your day carefully. Think about any deadlines and time when you have to check in with your employer. While you may not have to work a 9 to 5 schedule, it’s important to have some kind of routine for your kids to get used to. Having said that, don’t make your work schedule too rigid in case the unexpected happens like your kids getting sick. Also, if your child is grumpy and really hard to distract, it might be best to take an hour off work and take him or her to the local playground to let off some steam. You can always catch up with work later.
Keep Them Occupied
Young children get bored easily so you’ll need to give them plenty of fun activities to occupy their time. Having a spare laptop or tablet they can use is a great advantage. You can download games, lesson plans, movies, and audio books. They can even color online with the Coloring Book for Me & Mandala. Change their activities regularly so they don’t have time to get bored.
Make The Most of Nap Time
If your kid takes a nap during the day, at some point you’re going to have a 1-3 hour window where you can really focus on your work. Don’t be distracted by the dishes piling up or all the laundry that needs doing. This is your workday, so get some work done while you have some quiet time. This is also a good time to get all those work calls out of the way.
Get Some Help
Being a work-at-home parent doesn’t mean that you have to skip childcare altogether. There are going to be days when you need help, so it’s good to have a backup plan for these occasions, especially if you have very young children. Have a list of local babysitters on hand, even if you only use one for a couple of hours a day, that time can be invaluable because it can allow you to catch up on emails and writing reports.
You can juggle working at home and being a parent, you just have to balance the two. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, it’s much better to do that than to let yourself get overwhelmed.
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