Family Work Balance
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6 Tips for Parents Working at Home with Young Kids
Working from home with your kids in the house sounds great in theory, but in reality, it’s very hard to juggle the two at the same time. We have no doubt that you are a supermom or dad who’s capable of anything, but if you are feeling overwhelmed at all from having your kids as coworkers, you’re not alone. Luckily, there are plenty of tried-and-true tips that can help working parents make it through the day with their kids in tow.
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| Peaceful Home Workspace Inspo for Parents |
There’s no need to do a full schedule overhaul; some small changes can get you in a better place as an employee and a parent during this work from home period. Here are some simple steps that can make your life easier.
Create a Stress-Free Workspace
If you’ve been working from your living room sofa or kitchen table, you know how easily distractions can pop up. From people walking through the room to the TV, there are endless forms of noise that can make getting work done even harder. Treat yourself to a dedicated home work space which calms you and helps you focus, even if it is small. This way, you can cut down on distractions and set yourself up for being more productive. Invest in an ergonomic chair and desk that will support your body instead of leaving you feeling exhausted and in pain at the end of day.
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| Image Credit: Pavel Danilyuk, Pexels |
Ask Your Partner to Share Responsibilities
It takes a village, both to raise children and to be successful in business. While you can of course go it alone, it’s so much less stressful to share responsibilities in both capacities. If you haven’t already, make a list of all the tasks you and your partner share with the kids and split them in a way that makes sense for both of you. You could also try dividing up childcare by hours in the day, so that you each can have at least a few hours without the kids each day to focus on work.
Set Expectations with Your Work
Working from home creates some barriers to communication between you and your office as it’s not as easy to stay in constant contact when you aren’t all together in the same place. To avoid misunderstandings, make sure to set crystal clear expectations about when you will be able to answer the phone and emails and when you won’t. Let them know that even with the best laid plans, your kids come first and sometimes that might mean missing a Zoom call or needing an extension on a deadline.
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| Image Credit: 4moms |
Use a Baby Swing or Carrier
If you have an infant at home, it’s obviously not possible to hold them all day while you’re doing work. You can make the most of their nap times by working at your computer, but while they are awake you will need to put them somewhere safe where you can watch them. An infant baby swing is a popular choice to keep your little one occupied as you can strap them in and watch as they are gently rocked in the swing.
Put Your Phone on Vibrate
Unless you know an important call is about to happen, set your phone ringtone on vibrate and keep it close by. The sudden sound of a loud ringtone can affect your cortisol levels, which are likely always on edge with all that you are balancing in terms of stress. Try to eliminate as many loud sounds as possible to maintain a more peaceful state of being. For any times where you really don’t need your phone at all, try leaving it in a separate room where you can forget about it and focus on other things.
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| Image Credit: Ekaterina Bolovtsova, Pexels |
Eat Healthy
Finally, take care of yourself. Make time on the weekends to meal prep healthy dishes and snacks that you can easily grab during the week when you are hungry. If you let yourself eat a poor diet all week, it can have a negative impact on your productivity, your health, and your overall mood.
About 4moms
Founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2005, 4moms strives to create practical user-centered baby gear designed with technology that elevates the modern parenting experience. Among the brand's flagship products are the 4moms mamaRoo4 Baby Swing Bluetooth Rocker with Bluetooth which replicates mom's and dad's soothing hand-held bouncing and swaying motions; the 4moms Breeze Portable Play Yard that opens/closes in a single step with one hand; and the 4moms Magnetic Baby Toddler High Chair to make mealtime simpler. These and other 4moms products are available on Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, as well as from specialty retailers and direct from the 4moms website. Learn more by following the brand on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
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