There’s no surprise that 2020 is having a moment. There have been many challenges we’ve faced along the way and many obstacles we’ve needed to overcome both as individuals as well as a society. Working in a PR and communications agency has allowed our team to enjoy the benefits of working from home. If you’re struggling to stay productive while working from home with little ones around, try out some of these tips from full-time work-from-home mums to help you get through the week.
- Set boundaries – Whilst it’s important to spend time with the children and ensure they are entertained during the day, it is essential to set a routine. If you can set up a space to focus on your work set a timer that is reasonable enough to not break your stride when you get time.
- Be innovative and keep kids busy – Do you have crazy days where you feel everything is going haywire and you are left frustrated? To ensure they are not glued to the TV or on their computer games, invest in puzzles, treasure hunt games, coloring books, card games, and board games, etc. Assign your kids tasks and reward them with treats such as stars and stickers to keep momentum and ensure they feel encouraged, motivated, and enthusiastic.
- Pack their lunchbox – Are your children constantly asking for snacks, opening the fridge door, and standing there for hours waiting for the food to jump out at them? To ensure they are not snacking on junk food throughout the day. Pack their lunch boxes with a nutritious sandwich, juice box, fresh fruit, and encourage them to sit down and eat it during play lunch and lunch.
- Time to Play (during recess and lunch) – Encourage children to take their recess and lunch breaks at normal hours. Get them to go outside in the fresh air. Take this opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with your children which will help strengthen your bond and increase productivity level.
- Embrace technology to your advantage – Many parents may feel disrupted during their busy working, and concerned their kids are becoming addicted and glued to the world of gadgets including phones or iPads. Use these social media devices to your advantage by Live streaming educational videos and podcasts for your children, or schedule group study zoom sessions.
- Organization – Create a planner for the day to ensure that you are running on time, to schedule and have things mapped out so that you constantly tick things off your list.
- Ask for help when required – There are days when you wake up and feel like conquering the whole world and then those days where things have gone a little off track. During these extreme times, be kind to yourself and ask for help so that your children can still feel comforted knowing that they are in a safe environment and you are rested, stay calm and in control.
- Co-working rules – For mums who are working from home, make it clear that children know your contactable hours where you may need to lock into a work meeting, have a deadline or be on a conference call. Children will soon learn their boundaries and will and leave ‘mummmm’ call outs for when it is a high priority.
As a full-service kids pr agency we understand just how magical the worlds of children can be, but it can be easy to fall into their pace while working from home. Stay strong, follow these tips, and make the most of your time while working from home worry-free.
