As a result of social distancing measures being introduced across the United Kingdom to aid in the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 again, many working parents are finding themselves forced to manage their workload while also caring for small children and making sure teenagers are getting to school, forcing British families to work and relax in the same environment.
Despite the fact that restrictions are being lifted many businesses have made the decision to permanently expand the ability to work from home. Many parents have viewed this as a positive development, particularly now they have become accustomed to working from home during the pandemic. That being said, there is still a lot to learn in order to be successful working from home, especially if this is going to be a long-term adjustment in one’s life.
Even if you are accustomed to working from home, it is possible that you did not foresee your family’s presence, which resulted in slower broadband internet and diversions from your everyday activities as a result. Many parents working remotely will have to take steps toward an organised working from home plan that will keep you and your family happy and comfortable, given the uncertainty of how long this new remote arrangement will remain. For some this may be a permanent change, which means that they will need to replan their whole working life and possibly make new family arrangements.
We provide some pointers that may assist you in achieving a trouble-free function in your family house while also preserving a pleasant and wholesome home environment for your family.
Get Up Earlier And Become Productive
The major advantage of working at home is that you don’t have to waste time travelling to and from work. Allow your children to sleep in. Because of this, you will be able to profit from some more calm time in the morning: there will be no traffic congestion, no frantic mornings getting the children kids ready and driving to work. Make use of this opportunity to get a head start. It will allow you to complete work a little earlier that evening, giving you more time to spend with your children at the other end of the day. Even though it may feel like a struggle to get into an earlier routine to begin with, once you are in a routine, you will soon start to see the benefits. You will get a good chunk of work done early in the morning, and then have far more time in the evenings to spend with your kids. You can even use your extra time to do things such as the school run and cut costs with no need for after school childcare.
Define Your Boundaries
It’s crucial to have a dedicated workspace where you can work comfortably and without distractions, just like you would at the workplace. If you reside in a property with plenty of space, consider converting one of the areas into a temporary office. If this is not an option for you, you can set up a temporary workspace in the living room or dining room, or even in a bedroom, where you can work without even being overly disturbed by your young children, if that is what you prefer. It is critical to have a dedicated workspace in which you can work comfortably. Establish limits with your children so that they understand that “working from home” means “working.” Explain that they will not be able to interrupt you throughout the working day and praise them for their positive behaviours, even if you have to bribe them every now and then.
Plan Simple Activities For The Youngsters To Participate In
You might prepare some playful and more peaceful activities for younger children to allow you to be able to work without being continually interrupted. There are a variety of activities they can participate in with minimal assistance from their parents, such as do it themselves activities, painting, colouring, and sketching just like they would at school. You could split your living space into various play zones for your little one. Things like a building blocks zone, a reading corner, a doll-playing corner, and so on. It is important not to offer everything at the same time or on the same day, but to offer some variety so that they do not become bored with their activities.
Establishing A Routine Is Essential
It is also crucial to include some organization into your working week. Arrange your chores in descending order of importance, and make sure you can complete the most challenging work at times when you are at your most relaxed, such as first thing in the morning. When you keep some level of order within the family daily, your children will adjust more rapidly to their new environment as well as your work speed. Once you have a good routine in place you will be more productive at work. You can let your team know when you will be available on the best live chat provider or for meetings.
The task of keeping youngsters amused while concentrating on work is difficult, especially if you have to do it daily for an extended period of time. Creating some sort of regimen could be beneficial. It could be a good idea to schedule some classes throughout the day, each with a different activity, similar to what is done in school. Make the planning apparent so that children may check items off when they are completed.
Plan a time slot for schoolwork and explain to them which exercises they must finish by when. After that, schedule a creative hour for them to do something creative, such as sketching or painting. Provide time for them to play outside instead of indoors and give them some free time doing whatever they want if the weather is pleasant.
Establish Daily Objectives For The Youngsters
Even though schools are back up and running, children, are affected by a few weeks away from school. Giving your children a small amount of homework a day can assist to keep them from falling too far behind academically. Make a list of the exercises they must complete each day and the time frame in which they must complete them. As soon as you end your workday, set aside some time to sit down with your children and go over their homework. It will teach your youngsters how to organise their tasks throughout the day.
Older children might also be enlisted to help with small household duties around the house. Allow them to do things like wash the car, weed, fill and empty the dishwasher, and clean their room. It will keep kids occupied, and you will be able to cross these activities off your to-do list, allowing you to spend more time with your family.
Make Sound Conference Call Preparations
Keep in mind that if you are in regular virtual contact with coworkers or external stakeholders, you should schedule those meetings during a quiet period of the day in order to avoid being interrupted excessively. This can be done in the early morning while the children are still asleep, or at a time when they can watch television or play games on their tablet computers, for example.
Work With Your Partner At Different Times Of The Day
When both you and your spouse work from home, it can be beneficial to swap off some time with the kids now and then. While one parent is at work, the other can spend time with the children by playing a game with them. Children will feel less ‘ignored’ as a result of this, and both parents will be able to continue working at alternating times.
Meal Preparation And Planning
We must try to keep things as normal as possible in other areas too. For example, by completing your grocery shopping once or twice per week and prepping several meals over the weekend, you can save a significant amount of time and still create home cooked meals. In the evenings, this will give up some time to spend with the children.
It’s Nap Time!
Do your children still take to have a sleep in the middle of the day? Make the most of this time by concentrating on the things that take the greatest amount of concentration. If you do this often, you will not have to feel bad if you are less focused during playtime, and you will have less stress.
Strive To Maintain A Healthy Work-Life Balance
Last but not least, it is critical to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Once your workday is completed, turn off your computer and relax for the evening. Plan a fun activity, such as a family game night, to keep the kids entertained.
It goes without saying that the last few years have been challenging for remote working parents, and that is likely to continue to some degree in the future. Do you have any other tips that could help home working parents? Please share them in the comments below.