The devastating effects of coronavirus are still haunting people and the series of lockdowns are active in many places. However, the global pandemic has forced people to go through a telecommute circumstance with the service of work from home. At first glance, the idea of working from home sounds very relaxing. But when it comes to real life, people are struggling more in working from home than in an office. Especially, the working parents are finding it really difficult to be productive enough that can help them to maintain a ‘work-life’ balance.
Kids always seek around-the-clock attention for each of them and providing that after handling a ton of meetings, conference calls, and emails, is not a matter of joke. Since the deadliness of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has forced students to stay at home as well, they are supposed to do their schooling, homework, and tuitions all from home only. That means, not only your work but as a parent, you have to look out for your children’s study too. Being stuck at home with minimum exposure to the outside world can lead to depression and other mental health-related diseases as well. Keeping things straight with a calm mind and handling everything together is something only parents can do. Well, here are some handy tips that will make the process even easier:
Create a Schedule
When you have a lot of works to do, it is always better to start with a schedule so that you skip or forget anything. However, keeping a tight schedule for office hours will not solve the problem. Just like attending the meeting is very important for you so is helping your child coloring the scrapbook. Experts say the best thing about work from home is flexibility. It gets easier when you are your own boss and can make little time out of your work to play with your children. But if you have an employer, it is best to talk it out and make a non-traditional work hour that fits your schedule.
Utilize Naptime
Remember the time in the office when you used to taunt your colleague for having extra naptime? Perhaps it is a reliable source now to revive your energy. You can take small naptimes of 10-15 minutes which will help you to relax and reduce stress. Utilize your children’s naptime as the most productive time of all. You won’t have to look after your child that time and can spend that in communicative works with the office.
Separate roles to maintain Work-Life Balance
While working from home, it is important to keep your business roles away from your parent roles. If you try to keep a balance between both by working simultaneously, you will end up playing neither of the roles properly. To keep your head straight and to overthink, do your office work with full concentration without thinking of the laundry. And when you are doing your laundry, don’t prepare your speech for the meeting.
Keep Kids Entertained
Your kids are most likely to not interrupt work if you keep them entertained. Playing with them, playdate, animation movie screening, etc can provide few hours of escape if they really enjoy it. Try to make them small snacks and treat which will keep them glued at a place and not running into your study. If you have a pet, he or she is most likely to spend most of the time with your children and keep them safe. A pet dog or even a cat can be a real lifesaver when it comes to children. Even if your children pop up between your zoom calls, try to give them non-verbal indications to not disturb. Instead of yelling, turn your call mute to avoid an awkward situation.
Seek Extra Help
It is okay to seek help it if gets too much for you to handle alone. Your partner can be a great help if you both can manage your work hours accordingly. Even if you can’t, you can contact your other colleagues and look for safe babysitting arrangements. Neighbors can be really helpful sometimes. So let your egos sink in and seek help if you need it.
