Working from home definitely has its perks, but it also comes with its own set of challenges.
One of them is learning how to balance caring for your children and delivering at work. In the past, it was easier to deliver at work because you were in the office. But now, you are working remotely, and you struggle with keeping the kids busy while you focus on work. Maybe you have also had one of your children barge in while you were at a high-profile virtual meeting.
If you have experienced any of these, then this is for you.
Here are some tips on how to care for your children while you work remotely.
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Split the duty with your spouse
One way to help yourself get more work done is by sharing the job of taking care of the children with your spouse.
[bctt tweet="You can split the task of preparing meals or helping them with virtual learning sessions during work hours"]
You can split the task of preparing meals or helping them with virtual learning sessions during work hours. That way, the bulk of the job isn’t just for one person alone. Also, it reduces the number of hours of productive work hours lost if all the responsibilities are on only one person.
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Develop A Schedule
A schedule is a great means of getting your children’s day under control. While it should not be too rigid, it should be predictable enough to give you an idea of what your children should be doing at every given time. You can even be creative with it by suggesting activities for them to do when they are bored. What’s more?
You can set up treasure hunts in areas of your house that are far from your workstation, especially when you have important meetings.
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Use Signs
Children love attractive colors, and you can use this to your advantage while you work from home. Make simple cards with colorful cardboards to communicate with your children non-verbally. A ‘Do Not Disturb” card on your door, or “In A Meeting” can be quite useful in avoiding embarrassing moments while working.
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Make Them Responsible
Create tasks and put the older children in charge of the younger ones. You can even include rewards and ask for a report at the end of the day. Some of the tasks can include doing basic chores around the house, helping each other with schoolwork, or even serving lunch.
Ensure that you delegate age-appropriate tasks to them to avoid mishaps!
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Talk To Your Children
The most important thing you need to do to ensure that you get maximum cooperation from your children is to talk to them. Explain that although you are at home, you won’t always be available because you have to work. You can also explain that you need their help and support. Appealing to their sense of duty may help get them to work with you and make your remote working experience beautiful.
By Dr. Okonkwor Oyor C.
