How to Make it Work When You’re A Parent Working From Home Full Time
Working from home is great in so many ways. You own your time, have the flexibility to work in pajamas, don’t have to commute, etc. However, you’re a full-time parent first and a full-time remote worker second—and therein lies the rub. The fact is, it can be an all-too-real struggle to juggle it all, especially when the line between these two facets of your life is virtually non-existent. But on the flip side, countless people have been making it work, and there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t, too. So without further ado, let’s explore how you can improve your situation and sustain this arrangement for the long haul.
The Help You Can Get
No, working from home full time and keeping the household running while you’re at it doesn’t automatically mean you have to do it all yourself. In fact, this can put you on the fast lane to burnout, which is definitely the last thing you want. When you have your hands full with work and family, know that help is often at hand, and it will serve you and your household, indeed, to take advantage.
- Yes, you can delegate work tasks effectively—and it may even be important to do so.
- With the right online job board, it can be very easy to find and hire expert freelancers for the work you can realistically outsource.
- Hiring a cleaning service can also make you more productive and happier.
- It’s also important to give your kids chores—not only to help take things off your busy and capable hands but also to teach them valuable life skills.
- If your baby continues to have trouble sleeping through the night, tap into expert help from Baby Sleep All Night.
The Tools You Can Use
In this day and age, tech has proven to be a godsend in so many ways. And yes, it can be used to serve you and your household when you work and keep a family in line at home full time. As long as you’re also mindful of the repercussions and risks and take solid measures to mitigate them, then you could very well find that tech is, indeed, your best friend.
- Keep your kids’ devices well-stocked with age-appropriate educational apps to make their screen time productive.
- As your kids spend time using technology, stay vigilant about threats, and protect them from online predators.
- On the work front, make use of remote working apps that help streamline your tasks.
- Productivity apps are also a must—not just to keep your focus and output high, but also to keep your at-home work schedule in line.
The Things You Can Change
Yes, working from home full time and running a home while you’re at it is challenging in more ways than one. However, you may invariably find that it just takes a few tweaks here and there to make it all work and, in time, worthwhile.
- It’s definitely smart to establish a dedicated workspace at home to have a physical barrier of sorts between your work and home life.
- Give your day structure, so you can better balance work with family and household duties.
- For nursing moms working from home, it’s important to have support from your employer; if a challenging conversation is ahead, make sure you know your rights.
- Having a solid and healthy morning routine definitely helps in maintaining work-life balance—not to mention, keeping your sanity.
Ultimately, your success as a work-from-home parent is a mix of tools and tweaks, as well as not being afraid to ask for help when you need it. Indeed, by taking these steps, you may be pleasantly surprised at how well everything just falls into place.
