COVID-19, the global pandemic has changed a lot many dynamics for us. Everybody is maintaining social distancing by working from the comforts of their homes.
But, is it actually comfortable for parents who have to manage work while their kids are around?
Maybe not!
This is because your attention is constantly divided between the demands of your work and your child’s needs.
Now that there is no way to escape the work from home dynamics in the near future, it’s feasible to strike a balance between working and parenting. Here are some tips that can come in handy while establishing a parenting and work life protocol.
1. Design a functional schedule
The aim while working from home is to get work done within a time frame, while also looking after kids. So you can formulate a schedule depending upon the number of contributing hands.
If there are two people at home, then you divide the tasks. For example, while one of you works, the other one can cater to the child’s demands.
Additionally, it’s quite hard to fit in all the tasks within the work hour deadlines. So the best way possible is to work at odd hours. For example, getting up around 4-5 AM to work is a probable way to compensate for the day’s work.
2. Have a communicative relationship with the company head
Flexibility in your work schedule is a must when working around children. For this, you will have to make significant adjustments in your schedule. To ensure that these changes do not create a wrong impression at work, have an at length discussion with your boss.
Since working while looking after the child isn’t a personal situation, it will be accepted and acknowledged by the company. You can portray this crisis as a community thing and state facts revolving around the same.
Being assertive in such a situation paves way for discovering all possible solutions with team efforts.
3. Help kids operate independently
Giving autonomy to children on certain levels is a great way to help them function without support. For example, kids can be given the option of choosing what activity they want to perform or what food they want to eat.
You can easily display the list of activities or food items for children to choose from. This will spare you the time of convincing them for a favourable alternative.
Having said that, this technique is fully functional only when the kids are sufficiently grown up. Toddlers might need your assistance to make decisions.
4. Organize break schedules with your children
While working from home, it is integral for you to spare some time for your kids. This can happen through planned breaks between work.
During these breaks, you can engage in playtime activities, or assist them with their homework. Having a well-structured idea of how you want to make most of the time you have with your kids is very important.
If both the parents are working from home, then you can either take breaks together or one by one. This will help avoid fights and operate better.
5. Get some downtime for yourself
As working parents, the pattern of the day might get on your nerves. And to avoid getting exertion on your head, it’s advisable to get some downtime, away from children.
Herein you can engage in something recreational that lifts up your soul. For instance, you can play an instrument of your choice, you can read a book, or go out for a walk.
If there are multiple adults in the family, then you need to ensure that everybody gets a downtime while another person looks after the kids.
6. Don’t be harsh on the kids
Finally, it’s important to ensure that you are being patient with the kids through this process. It’s also a new situation for them to get acquainted to and they might not cope up really well in the beginning. That’s the time you have to gently educate them about the process.
There is no right way to go about this situation. You can have your own strategy that works for your specific needs. Once the concept becomes familiar with your children, they will begin moulding readily.
In Essence
Working from home can be quite challenging, when you also have parenthood tasks at hand. However, there is always a method for creating an optimum balance.
The aim when striking a balance should be to not over exhaust yourself while catering to both the parties. While you have to deliver in both areas, it’s advisable to have some time for yourself to increase productivity.
A house with multiple adults can function a little better in such situations by dividing tasks. While one parent works, the other can look after children.
In the work front, having an assertive discussion about the situation with factual information helps in creating a favourable work environment.
Lastly, since COVID-19 has pushed all of us to take this challenge, it’s ideal to be gentle on both yourself and the kids while making the transition.