Working from home is an adjustment in and of itself, and when you add in navigating the demands and schedules of kids it adds a whole new level of disruption.
Figuring out routines, childcare, and space/privacy needs can cause a great deal of stress. While there are many ideas found online for how to keep kids occupied during work from home days – here we want to focus on much needed tips for stress reduction during these transitions.
Know What is Within Your Control
One of the main things you can do to help keep calm in the chaos of working from home is to focus on the things you can control. This can mean finding a comfortable space in your home dedicated to work, choosing to use headphones or sound machines for privacy, asking a partner for help with entertaining kids, and when possible deciding what work times are best for you. This also means accepting the things that are out of your control. Kids might walk in during a meeting. Your internet may cut out at times. Tasks that were quick in an office may take a bit longer. While these experiences can range from annoying to aggravating, focus on giving yourself compassion. Many times, we hold higher expectations for ourselves than others hold for us.
Take Time for Yourself
Taking time for yourself as a parent is never easy. There are always demands on your time at home – often from your children and family, and now from your home office. Now that you are working as well as living at home it is important to carve out dedicated time for focusing on your needs. Much of your day consists of taking care of the needs of others and making sure that they are content and happy. Consider the empathy you have for others and their needs and try applying that to yourself as well. Making a conscious effort to take time for yourself can help to recharge you emotionally and physically to be able to tend to other areas of your life more efficiently.
Develop a Routine
Since working from home started, most routines went by the wayside. From your family routine to your pre-and post-work routine, everything has been upended. Since your work and family life have no natural separation these days, finding ways to distinguish them is essential. Rediscover pre- and post- work routines that help you switch your mindset and prevent you from feeling distracted in both home and work life. Discovering ways that allow you to transition your frame of mind from work life to home life can allow you to achieve a more balanced dynamic at home. This can include getting dressed for work as though you are heading to the office, or going for a drive at the end of the work day to ease back into home life.
Create Space Between Work Life and Family Time
Finding separation between work and family life, even when they are happening in the same space, goes hand in hand with developing a routine. Creating a designated space that you conduct your work in, or where you feel most productive can allow you to mentally attune to your work needs while minimizing the distractions that being in a home environment naturally bring. Working in shared or multi-use spaces (such as the kitchen counter or dining table) can impede our ability to get in the work mindset, so when possible aim for an area that is truly dedicated for work.
The steps to creating a more balanced work from home life for you and your family can be difficult. You do not need to maneuver the ever-changing environment alone; child counseling, family therapy, and parenting sessions can assist you and your family in navigating the various adjustments, stressors, and struggles that occur while continuing to build your bond. We are here to help you decide what individual and family counseling options could fit for your family’s needs!