Guest Writer: Janice Russell | Help for Healing

Top Working From Home Survival Tips for Parents of Babies and Toddlers

When the pandemic first hit the nation in early 2020, many had to adjust to working from home. For parents of babies and young children, there was a huge adjustment to work habits and the daily routine. Working from home when you have babies or toddlers with you takes some finesse and creative planning. Courtesy of Help for Healing, here is how remote working parents can survive working from home with young ones at home.

Design a Distraction-Free Workspace

Start by focusing on your workspace. If you work from home, you need a dedicated office space in your dwelling that is free of distractions. Ideally, you should choose a room in your home that doesn’t get a lot of traffic, such as a guest room or a den. Stock your office space with work supplies, good lighting, your computer equipment, and a phone.

You may even consider fitting out a dedicated space like the basement or a section of the garage or even building on. If so, be sure to keep track of the improvements as they can actually increase your home’s value; you’ll want to have all the documentation to show as proof of the upgrades.

Stick to a Schedule

The next tip for juggling children’s needs and your work responsibilities is to create a family schedule. Kids thrive on routines, and young babies and toddlers often function better if mealtimes, naps, and playtimes are consistent every day. Working parents can also get more done and reduce their stress with a set schedule during the week.  

Delegate Work Responsibilities It’s also okay to offload some of your work duties to a freelancer if possible. You can partner with a virtual assistant to take care of routine administrative tasks, such as

making phone calls, scheduling appointments, and responding to emails. Use a freelance job board to find virtual assistant services and check out reviews, potential costs, and timeframes.

Get Help From Friends and Family

Next, recruit friends and family members to come over and help when you’re starting to feel stretched too thin. Some of your family or friends may have decided to leave their jobs during the pandemic, opening up their schedules to help.   

Plan Quiet Time for Your Kids

When you’re responsible for baby duty and have a big deadline, you can also try planning quiet, independent activities for your little ones. Independent play requires some preplanning and setup, but it may reward you with a few minutes of uninterrupted work time.

Relax Some of the Rules

Families balancing their personal lives with their work lives may also want to relax some of their standard household rules. Don’t feel guilty about giving your young kids a little extra screen time so you can get things done.  

Get Out of the House

Spending long hours at home without a break from being a parent or an employee can take a toll. Working parents should also aim to spend an hour or two outside, away from the house, each day. Take a walk around the neighborhood, go to the park or take a hike and appreciate nature every day to decompress.

Practice Self-Care 

Finally, Psychology Today notes that it’s vital for working parents to practice plenty of self-care when they’re struggling with the demands of jobs and children. Parents should have a solid sleep routine and maintain a healthy diet. They should also add exercise to their day to keep up with their fitness. Practices such as yoga, meditation and journal writing are also healthy habits.

Surviving remote work while parenting babies and toddlers takes some grit and determination. Use these tips to help you work at home successfully while maintaining a loving relationship with your young children.

“Janice Russell believes the only way to survive parenthood is to find the humor in it. She created Parenting Disasters so that parents would have a go-to resource whenever they needed a laugh, but also to show parents they aren’t alone.”

Author: Help for Healing

My name is Darcy Thiel. What people say they appreciate most about me is my genuine nature. I utilize my professional and personal experiences to increase my understanding and compassion to help others. My career has many faces, so let me tell you about a few.
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in NY State and am a couple and family therapist. As an Adult Planning Specialist and End of Life Doula, I take my experiences with my parents’ and husband's illnesses and passing to help others navigate the crazy, complicated medical world we live in.
This dovetails with the books I have written. Bitter and Sweet: A Family’s Journey with Cancer, the prequel to Life After Death, on This Side of Heaven is an honest and raw perspective on coping with the diagnosis and subsequent loss of Tim, my spouse. I have done extensive speaking on the above topics through live audiences, radio shows, and an occasional TV spot.
For more information, see my websites at www.marriageandfamilycounseling.net, www.babycooppublishing.com, or www.darcythiel.com.

Copyright Help for Healing by Darcy Thiel © 2012-2019. All rights reserved.