Working From Home With Kids
How I get work stuff done on week days when I’m watching the kids during pandemic restrictions:
- decide what one thing I want to focus on that day (marketing, finance, project work, admin, sales)
- figure out which times of the day will be best to work on bits of it at a time – write quick notes on paper or our whiteboard which we ALSO use for appointments, meal planning, etc while drinking my morning coffee as the kids play
- computer use is saved for nap, quiet or bed time, as they automatically will assume I’m going to put on a show or movie for them if I bust it out
- then try to turn my thoughts about it off until the time I plan to work on it and direct my attention to my kids for the day
- we spend time outside, going for a walk, doing activities, having lots of snacks and meals
- I do chores with them or alongside them as they play nearby…NEVER during the dedicated time I plan to work
- when things in the day don’t go according ‘to plan’, I adjust my expectations, try to be flexible and go with the flow
Our house gets messy but I feel much more satisfied when I’ve created something and my kids are content, than when I have clear counters because I cleaned during my free* time.
Do what works for you, everyone has different things which bring them joy. ✨
*Your time is never free: you must define it, carve it out, protect it and then use it wisely!
Watch The Interview About Working From Home With Kids
I did an IG Live interview and a guest post yesterday about this topic with Julia Slanina, Founder and CEO of Treehouse Medical, a data-driven maternal and pediatric portal designed to serve the needs of mothers, families, and providers.
Here is the guest post:
🚼📊 WORKING FROM HOME WITH KIDS 🚼📊
——————
Today’s guest post is focused on helping you make working around your kids schedule more productive and comes from @amymaureenlynch, founder of @babiesbusinessbreakfast, mom of two young kids and a remote worker since 2014. 💻
If you’ve found your windows of ‘work’ time during quarantine shrinking based on your kids’ attention spans, this one’s for you. ⏳
I’ve used time blocking over the years to improve my efficiency with work tasks and output, while lowering my stress levels and feeling more in control when the unexpected (always) occurs. 🎢
Quick time blocking basics for parents I recommend:
- Choose a visual and focus on your week ahead (e.g. wall calendar, whiteboard, diary or online calendar).
- Break your days into three parts based on your usual wake and sleep times: morning, afternoon and evening.
- Pick ONE daily priority for each of the following three areas: work, home and self (e.g. draft a proposal, get groceries, go for a walk).
- Write it down! Select which part of the day you plan to focus on each area.
- Adjust your expectations and remain flexible! Other things will arise but your new schedule will be better able to accommodate them when they do.
Thanks for giving me another reason to talk about what I love to write about Julia: Flexible and remote work (with kids)! 🚼 📈
We cover time blocking, working in sprints, batching and of course, mixing babies and business in this 30-minute episode.
Key takeaway: Treat yourself like a plant. 🌱🌞
Confused? Watch the replay and you’ll get it.
There’s a free time blocking template for you to download and lots of previous posts about how I do what I do on this blog, if you use the search function to type in:
- flexible work
- remote work
- babies and business
- work and kids
You can watch the working from home with kids replay on their IGTV channel here and in the video below.
Flexible + Remote Work Resources
- Template – Remote Work (With Kids) Time Blocking Made Easy [LEARN MORE]
- Training – Mixing Babies And Business: 3 Ways To Make Remote Work More Productive For You (+ Your Family) [LEARN MORE]
- Guide – Babies + Business Mini Guide To Navigating The Corporate Jungle (With Kids) [LEARN MORE]
For more tips on how I work from home with young kids, you can check out these flexible and remote work resources on my website here: notesfromanotherland.com/digital-resources
Join Us As A Babies, Business + Breakfast™ Founding Member In 2020!
Invest in yourself alongside your kids, while making new connections:
- We focus on parent-friendly professional development (easy to implement content for people short on time and your kids are always welcome to join us)
- We want you to invest in yourself alongside your loved ones (show up as you are, wherever you are, whenever you can)
- We’re exploring mixing babies and business (create the change you wish to see, progress over perfection)
- Our guest speakers have been there, done that and wish we existed when they were starting out (learn from their insights, challenges and experiences)
- Our community is full of like-minded people who share similar values when it comes to flexible work and parenthood (make new friendships, professional connections and feel less alone on your journey)
2020 Registration is now open from:
June 22 until July 3, 2020 at 12 p.m. EST
If you’d like to join us in 2020, you can:
- learn more and sign up online;
- view our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Founding Members; and
- subscribe to our free bi-weekly newsletter focused on flexible work and entrepreneurship news for parents.
Looking for more info about Flexible + Remote Work?
I’ve set a goal of doing more video/audio content this year, so stay tuned for quick episodes which will cover the intersection of parenthood, creativity and flexible work.
Subscribe to receive my free monthly Work + Life newsletter focused on travel, international family life, creativity and flexible work: http://bit.ly/AmyMaureenLynchNews
SHOP Products + Online Courses
• Mini Training – Mixing Babies And Business: 3 Ways To Make Remote Work More Productive For You (+ Your Family) [LEARN MORE]
• Book – Startup Blogging: Validate A Business Idea and Build Your Audience [LEARN MORE]
• Online Course – Based on the book Startup Blogging: Validate A Business Idea and Build Your Audience [JOIN THE WAITLIST]
FREE Digital Resources, Templates + Guides
• E-Course – Go Remote: 5 Steps To Transition To Flexible Work [LEARN MORE]
• Template – Remote Work (With Kids) Time Blocking Made Easy [LEARN MORE]
• Guide – Babies + Business Mini Guide To Navigating The Corporate Jungle (With Kids) [LEARN MORE]
Notes From Another Land 