Working from home with children is not stress-free, achieving a good balance between work and children can be extremely difficult to achieve. Most people end up suffering from stress because they find it really difficult to disconnect the brain from work. However, here are a few tips that should get you towards achieving the right balance
- Set up a schedule and follow it. Working from home gives you flexibility but you need to structure your days. Sharing your schedule with your colleagues or company partners will help you to not break the schedule. For example, if you tell a colleague you will be reachable at certain moments you will have to push yourself to stay there for whatever question they can have.
- Include your children in what you are working on– if it’s feasible you should try and include your children in your work, explain to them what you do, and let them help you out. Through doing this they will eventually get an understanding and appreciation of your work and will want you to succeed and allow you to fully concentrate on your work.
- Make the office of your ‘dreams’. You now have the chance to create a work space adapted to your needs. Get yourself a big desk and a comfortable chair and if you work with computers it will be an investment to buy a big screen. You can find all you need for good prices by using sites like eBay and in combination with shipping sites you can find couriers looking to fill their truck spaces so they can offer really cheap courier services.
- Childcare shouldn?t be an ignored option. If your work is really intensive and requires a lot of concentration and effort, then considering childcare shouldn?t be an ignored option. By sending your child to daycare or arranging for a playgroup, they will be more active and will learn important social skills. And you will have some uninterrupted time to work on your business.
- Use the ?office door?. The easiest way to visually tell your children that you are working is to close the door of your home office. With time they will make the link between the door being closed with the time for being quiet and playing alone. You can leave the door half closed in cases that you can be reachable for whatever need they have, in that way you offer them options of your availability towards them.
This article was provided by Amar Patel. All opinions are his.
