Top Strategies for Productive Remote Work: A Mom’s Guide to Balancing Home Office and Kids

One of the only positives the c**** era gave us was the ability to work remotely. When the pandemic first began, I was only working from home (WFH) one day a week. I didn’t have kids yet, just was very pregnant. WFH at this time looked so different than it does now, with two littles. Over the past 4 years, I have garnered the best tips and tricks for working from home with kids. I made a post while I was pregnant regarding tips for WFH, but those tips have evolved since kids have come into the mix. Keep reading for my best tips I have put together over the years (they are in no particular order!)

Wake up before your kids every single day, even when you don’t want to

• Establish a solid morning routine and get things done that fill your cup
• This will set you up for a successful day
• I wake up between 5:30-5:45 am every day so I have between 45 mins – 1 hour of alone time (sometimes my husband is up as well, but we aren’t typically in a chatting mood at that hour lol, so it’s still peaceful)
• I use this opportunity to get dressed for the day, do my skin care, makeup and hair, chug my water, take my supplements, and finally chill on the couch with coffee and a book. 

Look at your calendar the night before and come up with a game plan for tackling any meetings you have

• Are the calls during nap time?
• If meetings are scheduled while it isn’t nap time, what activity can you set up for them?
• If you WFH with your partner, discuss schedules with them.

Create a task list each night of what needs to get done the following day

• Include things you need to complete that day, but also create a stretch list for things that don’t need to be completed that day, but that you can start

Prep breakfast and lunch for your kids and yourself the night before or over the weekend

• Mornings can be hectic because there are a lot of needs from kids: milk, potty, diaper change, different tv show, breakfast, etc. get ahead by prepping some meals, washing and chopping their favorite fruit

Have a desk set up for meetings that you need absolute silence, but also have a workstation in the main area your kids will be in. 

• I like this portable monitor and this lap desk
• This allows you to keep a watchful eye on the littles and tend to their needs while getting work done. 
• Prep activities for the kids the night before
• My kids love crafts and games. Tv will only hold their attention for so long. Get a bunch of things ready for them for the work day so they are able to play
• Make baskets of toys for them
• My best tip is rotate toys weekly. It keeps things new and exciting and they actually play with their things

Actually take a lunch break

• You are more than likely entitled to one, so take it
• Both you and your kids deserve fresh air and to move around, so bring your kids outside for a little walk – this always puts them in a great mood and I feel good about getting us outside for a bit

Try and schedule meetings around naptimes or quiet time. 

• I know some meetings being scheduled are out of our control – they just get put on the calendar. For meetings you can control, schedule these within the nap-time time frame
• If you have to take a meeting with your child around, give them a few minutes heads up that you are getting on a call and that you aren’t going to be able to talk or play for a little bit but that as soon as you are done, you can tend to them. This works 50/50 lol. At the end of the day, small problems to us are very big problems to them and they feel like they have to tell us. Just mute yourself if they come up to you and reiterate you are on a call and you will be with them shortly. 

Be transparent with your boss about your situation

• Working from home with kids is not taboo and is honestly so common now. Child care is really expensive!

Don’t scroll social media (especially during down time)

• Lets face it, before kids, you had a lot more time on your hands. Don’t waste precious minutes scrolling. There are a million other things you could be doing. Social media is a time sucker. Everyone has the same amount of hours in the day, choose to use yours efficiently, working on your own life, instead of watching someone else’s.
• I have a screen time limit for all of my social media apps on my phone. Once two hours is up for the day, it’s done. I choose to save social media scrolling for the end of the day, but even still, I am trying to opt for reading instead.  

Ultimately, we are all doing our best. Sometimes we have to work after hours on exceptionally rough days, and that’s ok. What tips do you have for working from home with kids? Leave it in the comments below!

Until next time, 

Lauryn xo

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