“People who violate your boundaries are thieves. They steal time that doesn’t belong to them.”
―
Elizabeth Grace Saunders
This summer, my SO and I decided to try something different: instead of shipping our son off to child care for the normal 2-3 days per week, we decided to keep him home and juggle him between both of our businesses. We're both self-employed and have flexible schedules, so we figured that would be a piece of cake...and so far, so good.
This isn't a new concept - there are a TON of work-from-home parents who juggle their career with their kids' lives, and come out on the other end just fine.
I don't want you and your experience, be it just summer or be it year-round, to be "just fine." I want to give you a few pointers, so that you can work efficiently and effectively and give your kids all of the mom or dad time they need. It's true - you CAN coexist with your kids and have a successful career.
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1) Understand that you may have fewer unproductive hours
Depending on the age of your child(ren), you may have to adjust your expectation of work that you can get done at home. You may enjoy having more access to them and may want to work less. You may have more interruptions, or may have to play referee too often. Maybe you just don't have a lock, or a door to close at all. Accepting that you might have to change your productivity for a couple months may keep you from unnecessarily blowing your top.
2) Adjust your schedule - and stick to it
For some of us, having fewer productive hours just won't cut it. If that's the case, then you need to find time to work. For example, I wake up at 5am. My son doesn't wake up until 8am. By adjusting my schedule in the morning, I found three uninterrupted hours to get work done (and that's more than most employees in an office)! When my son wake up, we spend a solid hour and a half together before I have him do solo activities. For the rest of the day, we block out "me" time and "us" time. If it's a "me" time and he wants my attention, we've worked out a note-writing system. I don't feel interrupted, and he can communicate. Win-win.
3) Use Parkinson's Law to your advantage
If you only have a half hour block of time, try to fit more than thirty minutes worth of work into it. Sounds crazy, but it works. You'll figure out how to work efficiently when you have less time than you need. It's almost like cramming in college, but it is actually effective.
4) Plan your meals and make it easy on yourself
This is a topic that will come up again, but here's a pro tip: plan your meals. Shop for those meals. Prep your ingredients when you get home from the market (separate and process your meat and vegetables). Develop an arsenal of crock-pot meals. Freeze leftovers. Try not to deviate from your plan unless it's a special occasion. Another quick tip: keep a basket of snacks in a low cabinet and one in the fridge - allow the kids to pick their own snack when it's time for one.
5) Let them watch a movie or play a video game - and DON'T feel guilty
Here's a fact: as much as you love your kids and as much as they love you, they don't want to be around you 100% of the time. I'm not saying you should let the TV babysit your kids while you work, but once in a while, when you need to get something done, it's allowed. You shouldn't feel guilty that they are doing something they enjoy - and chances are you'll get another hour of uninterrupted time.
6) Schedule time for just the kids
I touched upon this on #2, but this is key: if you expect them to let you work, then make time for them. Schedule it. Stick to it. We eat meals (no electronics welcome) together, do chores together, exercise together, and spend at least an hour outside every day. We build in quality time, so that our separate time together doesn't feel as isolating.
7) Call in the reinforcements when you need to
Once in a while, especially when I know I have to have an in-person meeting, I call a babysitter. If I'm working on a big project and need to devote a bigger block of time to it, I'll call them as well. Without guilt. It doesn't make you less of a parent to allow someone else to handle child care duties. It's not cheating. It's just business.
8) Give yourself a break
You're going to have a bad day. You're going to get frustrated. The kids are going to get frustrated. You're going to need to recharge, so make sure that you spend quality time by yourself, with your SO, and with friends. It can be fun and worthwhile to spend two solid summer months working-from-home with kids, but take time away from them too.
What are your favorite tips for working-from-home with kids? What hasn't worked?
Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur
