As an entrepreneur, writer, author, and recovery coach, I have worked entirely from home or the past 6 years. Some of my days, and every summer, have included doing it around my 5 children. There is a reason I don’t homeschool — because let’s be honest, having the kids at school is a much easier way to structure your workday!
The “shift to home” will be mixed with excitement and worry for you and your kids. “How will I get anything done?” is a valid question! That being said, it is very possible to maintain productivity with a few best practices.
Here are 11 ways to make the most of your new normal.
1. Communicate
Start with a family meeting, and remind your kids that you still have to work, and they still have to participate in “school,” and that this is going to be a “team effort” to get through this!
2. Establish personal workspaces
Define your working space and create your home base. For me, that is not in the same area as the kids. That nook may be a desk in their room, the kitchen counter, or a lap desk on the couch. What is important, is that it is a place where everyone can actively work and learn and have access to everything they need.
3. Stick to a routine
I start my day with something for myself. Whether it’s an at-home yoga DVD, or a quiet cup of coffee. Start your day with self-centering.
4. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule
Concentration and creativity don’t do well with interruptions, so putting together a schedule is imperative. Depending on how old your kids are, include them in the planning, or plan your workday and conference calls during naptime if they are still little. One important note: the actual classwork your kids may be doing right now will NOT take the same time that it would during an actual school day, so plan accordingly.
5. Give and Take
Swap Hours with your partner: You make breakfast while your partner works/ Have your partner make lunch while you get an hour of work done. Find bits of time where you can divide and conquer.
