Before the pandemic, companies who offered the choice to work from home to their employees boasted of its benefits, including better work-life balance. After all, you get to be with your family while you’re working. But now that you’re working from home all the time, are you still able to balance your home life and your career?
If your answer is “No,” “I’m not sure,” or “I don’t think so,” don’t feel bad. Plenty of people are still struggling to adjust to this new normal. It’s even more challenging if you’re a parent. You have to juggle being a mother, keeping your home clean, and being present at work while at home. That’s not an easy feat. To help you keep up and find the right balance between your kids and career, here are five things to do:
Create a flexible schedule
Routine is crucial for success, whether it be in your personal or professional life. But kids are some of the most unpredictable creatures, and they have the capacity to interrupt your schedule of activities. So, if you’re in charge of keeping your schedule, make sure it’s flexible. Make it so that even if one of your kids is having a bad day and can’t stop fussing, you can delay your tasks for later and tend to your child.
Take advantage of your kids’ naptime
If you have kids, especially toddlers, one of the quiet times you’ll have at home is when they’re napping. This can last for a couple of hours but sometimes naptime is as short as 20 minutes. Use this time wisely by focusing on tasks that require your complete focus and concentration.
Make household chores easier on yourself
When you already have to balance working from home while taking care of your children, other tasks, such as tidying up stuff around the house can fall to the wayside. Make these tasks easier on yourself by having systems in place that make it easy to clean. For example, you can keep your kids’ toys in their playroom and only allow them to play there. This way, when you’re walking across your epoxy-coated concrete floor, you won’t accidentally step on a Lego or Barbie’s severed head.
Make your children understand
It’s easy to think of children as undisciplined humans, but you’d be surprised at how well they will behave and listen if you just explained things to them. If you’re going on an important call, let them know not to interrupt you. If it’s your dedicated work time, make them understand why they need to keep quiet. Talking to them lets them know you care about and trust them.
Don’t be afraid to seek help
You might think that because you’re at home you can skip childcare, you might be wrong. This is especially true if your performance at work is struggling. Keep in mind that asking for help is not a weakness or an admission of defeat. You’ll do great by your children if you hire help who ensures they’re bathed, clothed, and fed on time.
Being able to work from home is a benefit considering the number of people out of work right now. Make the most of it by effectively balancing your duties as a parent and an employee.
