10 Tips for Work-at-Home Parents to Retain Their Sanity

Parents who work from home face a somewhat challenging dilemma. While they are around their kids for more hours, it doesn’t necessarily translate to spending more time with them, given they have to constantly juggle work-life balance. Plus, being at home means the home chores also get in the way of completing work, and being with the children. To sort out any chaos and stress, here go some expert tips to show, you’re not alone in this storm.

1. Have a dedicated workspace.

While working from home gives you the joy of being able to attend “office” in your pajamas, that doesn’t mean you double up your dining or kitchen table into a work table. Ensure you have a dedicated workspace, even if it’s in the garage, to be able to work for hours in peace, and have professional meetings in, minus any background disturbances.

This will let you have a few peaceful hours of concentrated work time, and keep your gadgets and files away from grabby fingers and explorative noses.

2. Make a proper schedule.

While there are times every job may need you to fly by the wire, when it comes to working from home, you need to follow a schedule. A rough plan will also do, as long you know what time you need to sit down to work at, while fitting in all the other things-to-do for your kids, and the chores at home, of course. Be disciplined with your time, and make sure you get enough sleep to be ready to face the next day.

Create a backup plan as well, in case you require an emergency off for your child, and let your work know about it as well.

3. Plan your work around your child.

The one thing to try is to work around your kids’ schedule, and given that you work remotely, it’s a definite possibility. While certain meetings or required online presence cannot be avoided, you can use the time your child is in school, asleep, or involved with other family members.

Get some work done in the morning when your child is asleep, then log off to spend time with them. Once they are off to school, or down for a nap, depending on the ages, get back to work. Flexibility is key when it comes to work-at-home parents.

4. Set boundaries with kids and inform them of expectations.

Whether your children are young or older, you need to have a talk with them to make sure they know what will happen during your work hours, and how they are supposed to behave. With younger kids, explain the same playfully as you pretend to work, while the child is being cared for by the other parent, a grandparent or relative, or a nanny.

With older ones, lay down the rules, clearly, and help your children be more responsible for themselves so you can have a quicker and more productive work day.

5. Use break times to connect with children.

The best thing about being a remote worker is that you don’t need to be glued to your seat for 8 hours straight, plus you save time on the commute. Take short breaks, both to stretch your legs and connect with your children. If it’s a small child, cuddle with them in bed and maybe have a power nap.

For an older child, go for a quick play around in the park, or indulge in their favorite activity. This will refresh you for better productivity, and let you have more time with your child.

6. Ensure there is help available.

If you are work-at-home parents, split your work day in a way that one of you is free to take care of the kids. If it’s just you, as a single parent, or as a couple with the partner not being at home, get some help. Hire a nanny for a few hours, or ask if a relative can pitch in.

This is especially true if you have younger kids. Working with lesser hours with better concentration is better than lingering on your desk with multiple interruptions every hour. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child right.

7. Make sure there is plenty to entertain your children.

Make sure there is plenty to entertain your kids at home, from coloring books to toys like building blocks and sets, Play-Doh, and other age-appropriate RC toys. Puzzles and books are handy too, and while you will need to limit and monitor screen time, accept that we live in the modern world and electronics have been integrated into childhood learning and entertainment.

8. Be smart with your “remote” work.

As long as your work entails a quiet corner and a good Internet connection, it can be basically done anywhere. Your little girl’s ballet class? Check. Your boy’s soccer practice? Check.

As long as you can sit in peace, with your laptop in hand, be flexible as to where you work. Nobody needs to know, right?

9. Always remember the work-life balance.

Just like people who go to office, you too need to strive to achieve the perfect work-life balance for you, one that keeps both you and your family, as well as your bank balance happy. While we may enjoy our work, there are bills to pay.

That being said, your role as a parent comes first and needs to be given priority over everything else. Just make sure to inform your work colleagues or seniors beforehand, if you know there will be delay. If your child wants a little bit of your attention while you are working, give them that, and watch the joy light up their faces.

10. Take care of yourself.

Despite you crossing all your t’s and dotting all your i’s, there will be times you mess up. Bizarrely and hilariously. Don’t stress too much about, and remember that parenting is a learning curve. Learn to go with the flow, and take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Get enough exercise, rest, and remember to hydrate. A healthier you will make a healthier family.

Like this mom from Reddit shared, embarrassing stories are part of the game for any parent who dares to work from home! Said the mother, [edited] “I popped in to take a quick shower. When I got out, my son’s door was open. He’s currently a toddler into everything, the more dangerous the better.
I go tearing into the office to ask my husband. He was on a video call and all his co-workers saw me wet, panicked, and wearing nothing but a towel. Yeah, the kid was in the corner of his room quietly reading books the entire time and I just missed him when I glanced in.”

Remember that kids will be kids, and you, as the parent, are only human. If you think your mistakes are embarrassing, read about these parents whose kids are budding stand-up comedians!