Inside: Working From Home as a Parent: A Realistic Routine. Collaborative post.
Working from home as a parent can feel like you’re doing two full time jobs at once. You’re replying to emails while someone’s asking for a snack, meetings overlap with school runs, and quiet moments never last quite as long as you hope.
Online – and especially on influencer mums’ Instagrams! – it often looks calm and well-organised. In real life, it’s usually noisy, unpredictable, and a bit messy… though that doesn’t mean it can’t work. It just means your routine needs to be realistic.
Start With a Gentle Morning
Your daily morning routine sets the mood for the entire day. However, it doesn’t need to be filled with an overwhelming number of things to do. If possible, wake up before your children, so you can have some peace and time to yourself for a bit.
This gives you time for a cup of tea, a quick review of your goals for the day, or even just a moment to take a few deep breaths. All of this creates a calm and steady environment in the house.
When it’s time to get up, breakfast doesn’t have to be gourmet. Just serve a nutritious breakfast (I love overnight oats), and get everyone reasonably ready. Also, if you have a few simple things for the children to do while you hustle to get ready, it can give you a little breathing room. Your life should guide the design of your work schedule rather than vice versa.
Plan Work Around Real Life, Not the Other Way Round
Trying to copy a traditional nine to five can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed. It may work better if you set up a work routine in keeping with how your day is set up:
- Determine when you are most productive
Some parents find that they’re most productive in the morning or evening, with both times being optimal for doing intensive work that requires concentration.
- Focus on “blocks” rather than hours
Most days have three primary blocks of activity: heavy work, medium work, and family activities. It helps to divide your day into smaller components.
- Use your quiet times for your benefit
When your child is napping, at school, or having screen time, these quieter moments can give you time to work without constant interruptions.
- Make noisy moments work for you
Some tasks are easier to manage once you expect interruptions rather than trying to avoid them.
All of this can make your day easier to divide into manageable chunks rather than automatically trying to fight against being interrupted.
Create a Clear But Flexible Workspace
A workspace doesn’t necessarily need to be a separate room or designated area for working at home. It can be whatever type of area that allows you to identify yourself as being in “work” mode.
If your children understand the concept of “work,” communicate this with them. By signalling your need for concentration through methods like wearing headphones or using a timer, your kids should understand when you need to concentrate.
Set Realistic Expectations for Everyone
You’ll need to make some modifications to your expectations if you’re going to be working from home. For those working with clients or teams, having clear communication with them is very beneficial.
So, be sure to let everyone know when you’ll be working and what times your responses may take longer than expected. You might be surprised how understanding people are with these types of situations!
Managing Screens, Safety, and Online Life
There’s a good chance that you’ll be using some type of screen as part of your work-from-home experience. While this is typical, it’s still good to be aware of how interconnected your home life has become.
Shared devices, public Wi-Fi, and having to constantly log in to different accounts can all increase digital risk. Because of this, I always suggest parents and remote workers read more about how tools like a VPN can support safer internet use when working from home or accessing personal accounts. They aren’t being overly cautious, they’re simply staying informed.
Accept That Some Days Won’t Go to Plan
Not every routine works out the same way every day. You may have sick children, not enough sleep or other responsibilities that come up during the day. It’s not a failure when this happens; it’s simply because you’re trying to combine work and family life in the same space.
On the more difficult days, focus on these three questions:
- What absolutely must be done today?
- What can wait until tomorrow?
- What tasks could be dropped altogether without serious consequences?
This can take some pressure off and help you get through tougher days by relieving yourself of work that may not be that important.
Know When to End Your Workday
Because there’s no commute, work can easily spill into the evening hours. Creating a way to indicate the end of your workday is a common challenge when working from home. This may mean closing your laptop, cleaning up your work area, or going over a short list of things to do for tomorrow.
Creating a habit that clearly ends your workday signals to your brain that you’re transitioning out of work mode. It also helps you concentrate more effectively on your family and be present with them later in the day.
Give Yourself Credit
Balancing work and family responsibilities while working from home is hard. You’re often trying to do two things at once, work tasks and parenting, and they can overlap more than you expect. It’s normal to feel like you’re not making much progress on your work goals or finding a steady balance between your job and family life.
Instead of creating a perfect routine, focus on creating a realistic one. If your children are safe, fed, and you’ve made some progress, you’ve already met your goals for the day. As you continue to work through your routines, you’ll create a rhythm that fits the needs of your household!