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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents have to work from home with children now more than ever and need advice on how to be productive and cope. I have been a work from home mom for the past 3 ½ years. Let me tell you we’ve had our ups and downs. I am an RN and when I had my daughter I was working full-time at a hospital.
Working 12-hour shifts is not the best schedule for a newborn. My daughter quickly protested my work schedule. On the days that I worked, my husband, who works as well, had to drop off our daughter at my mom’s house and pick her back up when he got off work. She would be fussy and at times refuse to eat until I got home. We all decided that a change was needed. Being a stay at home mom was not an option for me.
I sometimes jokingly complain to my husband and I tell him, unfortunately, I married for love and not for money so now I have to work. We both get a kick out of that. Since being unemployed is not an option for me, I had to find a job that would be a better fit for my family and me. My friend’s sister is also an RN who works for an insurance company and she got me on at her job and it has been the best decision I could’ve ever made for my family.
I love being a nurse but I am a mom first. While I am working from home with my children, I still devote my time to them. It is a balancing act, raising children, working from home, cooking, and managing the house all at the same time. I’m only one person, how do I maintain my sanity?
I normally don’t, I just own my crazy and work with it. When I have too much on my plate, I become very forgetful. I accept that and it’s not going to change so I manage my house by setting reminders for myself.
My husband is very helpful as well. I have a list of tips that helped me become more productive at work, proactive with nurturing my kids’ education, and keeping the house organized enough! I can’t always have a spotless house with two toddlers.
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How to be productive and work from home with children?
Get an Early start:
Use a Planner:
Prioritize:
Be Efficient:
Time Block:
Have a dedicated workspace:
How can you Work from Home and take care of your baby?
Baby Wear: This is very helpful when you need to multi-task. I used the Baby K’tan when my son was an infant and it was a lifesaver and my favorite gift I received from my baby shower. This is an absolute must-have for any mom with an infant regardless if they work from home or not. You can wear your baby while doing chores around the house, walking around the neighborhood, etc. It is also breastfeeding friendly so I was able to breastfeed while wearing him and work on the computer or do some housework all at the same time. You can wear your baby with this wrap in many different ways.
How do I keep my kids busy while working from Home?
Encourage Independent play:
Have a list of activities for the kids:
Call for back-up:
Be flexible: If at all possible be flexible with your schedule. Things won’t always go as planned. My work hours are flexible. I don’t have to be strapped to the computer from 8 am-5 pm consistently. There have been times when I just had to spend the day with my kids so as far as work I would do what I could and when my husband came home, he would spend time with the kids so that I can quickly catch up on work. It’s a win for us all. The beauty of being able to work from home with children is that it allows us to be flexible with our schedule.
Disclaimer: This post Disclosure might contain Amazon affiliate links. Any purchase made through such links will award me a small commission (or referral fee), at no extra cost for you. Regardless of whether or not I receive a commission, I only recommend products that I personally use and/or genuinely love (I would never promote any products or services that I wouldn’t pay for myself), and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.
9 thoughts on “12 Secrets to Efficiently Work from Home with Children”
These are all awesome suggestions. So often, we think we need to be supermoms when in reality we can do our thing and the kids can entertain themselves. My kids have learned they can be with me without interrupting me.
I would also add that you want to schedule in time to give your family your full attention without work distractions. My kids tend to respect my working hours a lot more when they know they will get my attention at certain times.
That is so true Crystal, it is very important to take out time to give our kids our full attention. Kids tend to act out when they feel neglected, but We want them to know how loved and important they are and we can do that by giving them our undivided attention. It can be hard to juggle our time, I find it easier if I plan out my day and set out a specific amount of time to spend with my kids.
These are great tips for working from home with kids! Even as a SAHM, I use a few of these to get things done around the house during the day. Waking up early, independent play and babywearing are key to my sanity! 😛
such a valuable post.
working from home with kids around is a challenging task, but I seriously believe that implementing some of the tips in this article will surely work.
thanks for sharing this awesome post.
Thanks Hari, I have been a work from home mom for 4 years and it definitely is challenging to balance being productive at work while also giving your kids the quality time that they need and deserve. I am so happy that you enjoyed this post!
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These are all awesome suggestions. So often, we think we need to be supermoms when in reality we can do our thing and the kids can entertain themselves. My kids have learned they can be with me without interrupting me.
I would also add that you want to schedule in time to give your family your full attention without work distractions. My kids tend to respect my working hours a lot more when they know they will get my attention at certain times.
That is so true Crystal, it is very important to take out time to give our kids our full attention. Kids tend to act out when they feel neglected, but We want them to know how loved and important they are and we can do that by giving them our undivided attention. It can be hard to juggle our time, I find it easier if I plan out my day and set out a specific amount of time to spend with my kids.
These are great tips for working from home with kids! Even as a SAHM, I use a few of these to get things done around the house during the day. Waking up early, independent play and babywearing are key to my sanity! 😛
Thanks Claire, I am happy that you enjoyed the article!
Getting a head start in the mornings and working off of our calendar (schedule) has been a game-changer for sure!
such a valuable post.
working from home with kids around is a challenging task, but I seriously believe that implementing some of the tips in this article will surely work.
thanks for sharing this awesome post.
Thanks Hari, I have been a work from home mom for 4 years and it definitely is challenging to balance being productive at work while also giving your kids the quality time that they need and deserve. I am so happy that you enjoyed this post!
Great post! Super helpful and I especially love the reminder to be patient. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Caitlin, Being patient is very important and it is definitely a challenge since I work at home with my two toddlers. lol