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Working from home can be a stressful situation for most parents when you are constantly interrupted by your kids. While some parents are blessed with having a nanny, others have to find different ways to work from home and tend to their kid’s needs. When you work from home, the one thing you cannot avoid is conference calls and meetings. And it can be especially challenging when your kid tries to barge into your room or an infant is trying to climb onto your chair. It does take a lot of trial and error to see what works best for you and your kids. But here are a few tricks and tips that will help you successfully navigate work conference calls with a toddler at home.
Be Calm
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If you want your child to maintain their chill, lead by example. Kids easily pick up on emotions and vibes. So, if you look stressed out or start to panic, your kids are not going to calm down just because you asked them to. Do whatever it takes ahead of the meeting to de-stress and relax. Allow yourself some time to focus and be ready for the meeting.
Understand that people everywhere are working from home right now, and that includes parents and singles moms. Do the best you can. But if your child ends up barging into your room or crying in the background, so be it.
Plan Ahead
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Planning and preparing for an upcoming conference call will help you lower the chances of being interrupted by your child. Try to set a routine for them whenever you have an upcoming meeting. Here are a few things you can do:
- Inform them about the meeting beforehand.
- Don’t ignore their doubts and questions about your meeting.
- Share the expectations you have from them while you are in the meeting.
- Let your child know how long the meeting will be and when you will be available for them. It’s best to add 15 minutes extra to this time if your meeting runs longer than expected.
- Reward them for their good behavior.
- Offer them some toys or activities they can engage themselves in during the meeting.
- Make sure the task or activity you assign can be done by themselves with no help from your side.
Keep Your Expectations Real (Low)
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You are a working mom or dad with kids in the house. So things are naturally going to get a bit noisy no matter how much you try to control it.
Learn to accept that your house is bound to get a bit messy. You can’t freak out every time your house becomes a bit disorganized. If you obsess over keeping it clean, your child may hesitate to engage themselves in activities the next time you are on a work call. We bet you don’t want that.
Create Your Own Work Space
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Build your own office space where you can be the most productive and work without constant interruptions. It could be your favorite corner in the living room or a guest bedroom, whatever works for you. Inform your kids and family members to give you some privacy and not to interrupt you in your workspace.
Adopt A Schedule That’s Convenient For You
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Instead of following a rigid schedule, try to figure out what time works best for you and your family. Take into account your child’s school schedule, work hours, and getting some time for yourself. Check if your company offers flexible work hours which will allow you to be more productive without compromising on your sanity. Whether you are an early riser or a night owl, you can always create a schedule that works for you.
Working from home isn’t a trend or need of the hour anymore. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this societal shift is our new normal. Navigating work and family life can be tough when you’ve got young kids, but with the right frame of mind and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can be the most productive even at home.
