Home-Life Productivity – Working Remotely with Kids!

Many people had been working from home long before COVID ever became a concern.  They proved the benefits of working remotely on overall happiness including:

Better work-life balance

Working Remotely is the perfect opportunity to restore some balance to your life.  Less time spent on the road and more time with family or hobbies is the ideal boost to your well-being.

Improved productivity

Working in an office or busy workplace can mean having to work around the distractions of a shared space or team.  Working Remotely means you get to work your way.  You have the whole office for yourself!

Increased job satisfaction

Flexible working arrangements – such as working from home – are considered the top work perk by around 59 percent of employees, according to SEEK research and increase job satisfaction. 

BUT – That was back when the kids were at school!

With lockdown underway, the children are around all the time and that does not make for the ideal office-like environment.  The kids are frustrated and parents are getting fairly annoyed too.  Here is how to tackle remote working with kids:

Talk to your kids about what’s happening

This is the perfect opportunity to teach your kids some work ethic.  You are both Working Remotely.  Talk to them about the changes and explain that this is not a holiday.

Create space in your working area for your children

You cannot stuff your kids into a box to take out once the day is done and neither will they play quietly in the other room.  They want to be near you.  Accommodate that.  Let them work nearby or play at your feet.

Have a schedule

Make sure to work in time to have lunch or put your little ones down for a nap.  Tired or hungry children will not stay quiet while you finish off this meeting with your new client.

Tell colleagues your kids are at home

Guilt is not your friend.  You are allowed to have children in your home, especially if they are your own.  Don’t apologies for a child existing in the background or if you have to step out for a moment.  Parenthood means that sometimes things happen, no matter how well you had it all planned. 

Why don’t you share some of your tips and tricks in the comments?  We are all in this together!