Topic 3 | Working from Home with Kids

To build a secure and lasting remote work career, you must take your role seriously and work as effectively as possible.

Distractions are everywhere when working from home. Your home is a shared space. Your kids, relatives, and friends are not accustomed to you “working” in the house. They can distract you from work without meaning to.

Here are some tips to avoid unnecessary distractions:

Claim a Work Space

The house is usually a place for family bond and relax. When you work from home, you have to train and inform your family about your work space. Ideally, you need to be in a quiet room with a door you can close.

Have a sit down meeting with your family and talk to them about your work arrangement. Inform them that when you are at your work space, you are following a work schedule and officially at work. You are not available for errands or coffee because you have tasks to finish.

Make a habit of getting out of your work space when talking and interacting with family members to be consistent.

Follow a Work Schedule.

Set up a work schedule. Inform your family and friends about it. Talk to your family about breaks; you will have 15 minutes break in the morning, 1 hour break for lunch and 15 mins break in the afternoon. These are the times you can connect with your family.

Inform extended family members (sister, brother, etc.) of your work set-up, and let them know of what’s possible when it comes to visit. Ask them to respect your work schedule and stick to it.

Use Visuals to Communicate You are Working.

For remote workers with kids, it’s difficult to communicate work schedules and work space. You can prepare a signboard with colors red and green. Red can mean “mummy is working” and green can mean “we can play now, it’s family time”. A “Do Not Disturb” sign is also good. Clearly define work time and family time. It’s better and more enjoyable to separate your work time from family time.

Get Help.

You cannot do everything. Working from home does not give you freedom to do everything at the same time. It is not ideal to take care of your kids while working from home. It’s not ideal to be washing the dishes on your working schedule.