There’s no doubt that the normalization of WFH in recent years has benefited working parents considerably. WFH allows you to work and look after your kids simultaneously, but any WFH mom with experience with this will tell you that it isn’t as easy as it sounds!
Working to a high standard at home can be challenging when you also have kids to look after, so it’s important to understand how to strike the right balance and excel in both areas. This post will offer a few tips for WFH moms that will hopefully be useful.
Develop A Routine
First, you need to develop a routine. Finding the time to fit in work, looking after kids, chores, and breaks is hard, so you need to develop a routine to help you get everything done each day. Scheduling frequent work breaks throughout the day so you can play with your kids and look after them is key.
Have A Workspace With High-Speed Internet
You also need to have a dedicated workspace at home. Ideally, this will be in a quiet area where you can work without being distracted. Having high-speed internet is also a good idea, especially if other people are online simultaneously.
Fiber internet providers in New York can provide high-speed internet without data caps, which is perfect for busy households. This will allow you to host video calls, download files, and stream content without issues.
Communicate With Your Employer
It’s also wise to communicate with your employer and explain that you’ll be looking after kids while working from home. You don’t want preferential treatment, but it’s helpful to make them aware of this so they understand if you need some flexibility with your working hours.
Prioritize Your Workload
Any WFH parent will tell you that getting everything done each day can be challenging. Therefore, it’s smart to prioritize your workload so you always complete the most important tasks.
Set Boundaries
Creating boundaries when working from home can be hard, especially when you have young kids.
It’s important to let your kids, family members, and friends know that you need to be able to work free from distractions and interruptions during your working hours. Letting them know when you’re available will help minimize interruptions while keeping them happy.
Ask For Help
You shouldn’t shy away from asking for help if you need it. If you’re struggling to keep up with your work while looking after kids at home, you should ask for help, even if it’s just for an hour or so. You might find that your partner, a friend, a family member, or even a neighbor can keep the kids entertained if you need some time to focus on work.
Practice Self-Care
Following this, you must practice self-care as a WFH mom. Although working remotely can make it easier to look after your kids during the day, it can also be stressful, and many find that they end up spending practically all their time at home. Therefore, you need to schedule time for self-care and ensure that you get out of the house on a regular basis. You need to make sure you have the time for hobbies, exercise, socializing, and recharging your batteries.
Juggling work and looking after the kids is difficult for a WFH mom. Hopefully, with the advice in this post, you can find the right balance and reap the benefits of being able to work remotely and look after your kids.