3 Ways To Get More Done As A Work-From-Home Parent
With everything that’s been going on in the world this year, more people than ever are becoming work-from-home parents. And while this isn’t the easiest way to get your work completed or spend time with your family, there are things you can do to find better balance and get everything done that you need.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three ways to get more done as a work-from-home parent.
Bring In Some Extra Help
Although you might have the best of intentions to get your work done and take care of your kids and your home all by yourself, this just isn’t possible sometimes. So if you have the means or ability to bring in some extra help, even if it’s just occasionally, you should look into this option.
According to Brooke Lea Foster, a contributor to Parents.com, hiring a nanny isn’t your only option. While nannies can be convenient, you can also look into getting help from a trusted teenager you know, having a family member stay with you while you get your head above water, getting shared child care with other work-from-home parents, or finding a better way to balance child care responsibilities with your co-parent or partner. Even if these conversations or decisions are hard at first, it could be well worth it to give you some time where you can focus entirely on work, even if it’s just for an hour or two.
Create A Flexible Schedule
For the time where you are at home with your kids and trying to be everything to everyone, you’re going to need a flexible schedule so that you can keep yourself and your kids on track with your goals.
Sara McTigue, a contributor to Healthline.com, suggests looking at your day and figuring out what things you have to get taken care of at or by a certain time and what times you can afford to get creative with. Ideally, you should try to consistently have focused work time around the same part of the day so that your kids get used to more independence at this time.
Learn To Prioritize
With everything you have to do each day and all of your responsibilities, it’s going to be a rare occasion when you’re able to tackle everything in the way that you wanted or intended. Because of this, Nadine Silverthorne, a contributor to Today’s Parent, recommends that you learn how to prioritize your time and attention.
For things that need to get taken care of today, make sure you knock those things out first, even if they aren’t your favorite tasks. This will help to take a lot of pressure off you and make you feel like you’re actually accomplishing things at the end of the day.
If you’re struggling with being a new work-from-home parent, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how to get more done.