The New Norm: Working at Home with your Kids!

Mar 19

Written By

Grace patience and just remember -we’re all figuring it out just like you! Mamas working from home ... this one is for you!

As a mama to 3 boys 5, 8, 12 who has been building & running her own business for the past 10 years I thought I’d put some of my thoughts, tips, and things I’ve learnt about working from home with kids around! It’s still a work in progress, it’s not perfect, and yes I still get frustrated & overwhelmed BUT it’s a messy beautiful life that I’ve made work and you can too! When it’s time for the homeschooling thing to add in on top ... well - I’ll have to borrow some of YOUR tips because that’s going to be the new part for me! This week is March Break so I’m actually using it as March Break without “school”... next week we’ll be diving into “homeschool”!

If you’re a schedule person...make a schedule BUT buffer it & allow flexibility because life with kids is never as planned!!!!

I’m not generally a “schedule” person (unless I have sessions scheduled with clients) - I usually have a list of 3 things that are a MUST GET DONE TODAY in my business. What I mean by this is before I go to bed, I have 3 things that are a MUST - sure my list goes beyond that ... but 3 is essential. If I wake up before the kids, I get to work. When my kids wake up they are usually entertaining themselves for the first hour (this wasn’t always the case when they were really little) so I use that time to knock something off my list. Then it’s breakfast and they get my undivided attention without distractions for awhile.... This is how we make it work through the day I break it up between my full attention with the kids and then slime on their own and then there’s also the screen time. I said I’m not a “schedule” person BUT we do have a routine I guess you could say ... it’s just flexible... kid generally thrive in routine when they know what to expect & what’s expected.

Now for my top things to thrive:

What can you “leave”, pawn off, hire out? You’ve just added so much to your “load”, who can help out, what you be “neglected”. I get that right now we need to “social distance” but can you give your spouse more things to do? Can you create extra tasks for your kids to do? Can you order food or meals in? Can you forget about the “mess” for a day?
Plan your meals. Going along with #1. Take time to plan it out and it will save you time in the long run.
Make lunches. This is something new I just started doing but it’s been really helpful. Take time at night to make lunches just like you would do before. Then when it’s time, pull it out and eat... there’s no thinking, no waiting, no “starving kids”...
Set boundaries. To the rest of your family it seems like everyone is on “vacation”, meaning home and can do whatever they want. YOU HAVE A JOB STILL. You can’t do it all. Say NO to the things that don’t serve you and that aren’t necessary - especially during your “office” hours.
Workspace. If you have a home office - perfect, use it so you can separate work from home.
Put the phone away. This goes along with boundaries & workspace. You will be more productive and everyone will feel like they got your undivided attention during the day if you can separate your work time and your
“play time”. When it’s time with your kids... don’t have your phone on you... trying to juggle the 2 will make for an unsuccessful, very stressful, & long day
Move your body daily - this is going to look different for everyone but to keep your sanity, to boost your health & happiness & energy, make a point of fitting this in EVEN if your kids and dog are climbing all over you! 30 minutes is really all that’s needed and why not add a family movement time in your day
Shower and get dressed. Seriously, its going to feel like those first few months as a new mom when you can’t remember the last time you showered because things got super busy! Stick to your personal hygiene routine and getting ready routine and have the rest of your family do the same!
Be ok with waking up a bit earlier or going to bed a bit later for the time being.
Close down you kitchen. Close down your office. There’s something about a clean, fresh start to the day! This one is a mood tip!
Give yourself grace. Give yourself space to figure it out. It’s not going to be perfect. It’s ok to cry. It’s ok to lock yourself in the bathroom. We’re all going to be failing forward. Connect with someone for you every day!