Home office with baby: How remote work works despite having a baby

If you work from home, you may be wondering how to manage your Kinder be able to entertain yourself while remaining productive.

It's possible to work from home while caring for your little ones, but it can be helpful to create a rough schedule and plan some fun indoor activities in advance so you have the supplies you need on hand. Caring for a child (or children) under 36 months also means that you will likely have to do the majority of your work in short bursts.

To help you juggle both tasks, we've put together some great tips on how to work from home while caring for your children. It can feel overwhelming at times, but you can do it!

How to stay productive while working from home

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Here are some tips for working from home with a child or children under 3:

• Work while your child sleeps. Use your children's nap time to complete the most urgent tasks. If your children have a somewhat predictable sleep schedule, you can brush off important phone calls or focus intensely on a project when your child is probably asleep. Working before waking up or after falling asleep is also a good idea, especially if your Job allows this flexibility.
• Share the load. If both you and your partner are at home, you can take turns having one of you feed or play with the children while the other works. By taking “shifts,” you can do both things while caring for your little ones.
• Plan your day and week as best you can. Decide when you will wake up and what you will do each day. Having a plan and a list of tasks will help you focus on the things that matter most in the face of so many distractions.
• Work while breastfeeding or expressing milk. If you pump breast milk, you can use a hands-free breast pump so you can continue working or talking on the phone. If you are breastfeeding your child, you may be able to talk on the phone or read reports while you do so.
• Dress for work. It can be helpful to dress professionally so that you feel like you are "at work" during work hours and change into more casual clothing in the evening. This also helps break up the day and can help you prepare for both work and play. Conversely, you can take the opportunity to work in leggings and a T-shirt.
• Work while your children play. You may be able to take short breaks from work while your children are busy with work. If possible, any work you attempt to do while your children are awake should be able to be interrupted, as your little ones will likely try to get your attention.
• Take advantage of the weekends. For example, you could cook on Saturdays or Sundays so that you have packed lunches and snacks ready for the coming week. Another good choice for the weekend is to find indoor activities for your baby or toddler so you don't get stuck during the week.
• Remove other distractions. You already have enough to do with your little one. If you can, consider removing other “time wasters” like social media. For example, there are apps that allow you to block your access to social media during work hours. It might also be helpful to set aside half an hour each day for household chores so you don't have to constantly get up and put things away.
• Be realistic. Maybe you need to be more flexible in the way you work and use the hours you have available more creatively. Don't blame yourself if you can't do everything or do everything perfectly - no one can! A more reasonable goal for working parents is to be efficient and productive, and you can achieve that by trying some of the tips in this article.
• Take time for yourself when you can. It's natural to get cabin fever when working from home for an extended period of time while caring for your child. If you can, take some time for yourself during naptime or when your children are sleeping, such as watching a series, taking a pamper bath, or doing some exercise.

Read on for specific tips for working with a newborn, older baby, or toddler in the house.

Working at home with your newborn

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Your newborn will likely sleep in three- to four-hour bursts throughout the day, so you can get set blocks of time to work during the daytime sleep periods. Remember that you will also wake up to breastfeed, even if you share this time with your partner. So be prepared to feel a little sleepier during the day.

While you work, you can "carry" your newborn in a baby carrier, sling, or sling so that he or she can enjoy being close to you while you do your work.

Even if it's just a nice extra, a bassinet can be helpful for parents who work at home because it can be easily placed at the desk or table so you can stay close to your newborn while you work.

Of course, if the width of your doors allows it, you can also move the crib from room to room. Remember that for your baby's safety, they should only sleep in their crib or bassinet.

Staying productive while at home with an older baby

Since your baby wants to be close to you and you want to keep an eye on him, consider placing some toys or an activity center on a play mat or playpen that you set up right next to you. This way you may be able to do some work while your child plays next to you.

If your baby likes it and you have such an opportunity, he can also spend short periods of time in a baby swing, glider or rocker. This way you can work in peace while your baby entertains himself.

Your baby probably takes two naps a day - one in the morning and one in the afternoon - and uses these opportunities to do some work.

Working from home and caring for your toddler

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Working from home with a toddler has its pros and cons. The positives are that your toddler will be able to entertain himself for short periods of time and may still take a nap or two a day during which you can work. The challenge is that when your toddler is awake, he or she may demand more attention from you.

It's okay to expect your older toddler to occasionally entertain themselves for short periods of time. You may need to firmly tell your child that he has toys to play with and that he needs to play in peace for the next 30 minutes. To help your child understand that the time for independent play is over, set a timer on your phone or microwave. Reassure your child that once the timer is up, you can take a break and spend some time with them - e.g. E.g. play your favorite game or read a few books. Remember that independent play and the ability to use your imagination and relieve boredom is an important skill to learn.

Create a safe space for your toddler to play in to support their solo play. You may want to thoroughly childproof the living room and let your child play freely in this area while you work nearby at the kitchen table or dining room table.

Reward your toddler when he plays nicely on his own by praising him and showing interest in what he is up to.

Another option is to set up your older child's own "workspace" at the other end of the table. For example, it could be "working" on a drawing while you are busy writing emails. You could tell her that she's a big kid now and that the two of you will work for 30 minutes before you can take a break together.

Example of a daily routine when working from home

Although you need to develop a routine that works for you and your family, here is an example of what a day might look like when you to work from home and take care of your children:

• Early morning: Get your most important work done before your kids wake up so there won't be many distractions. You can also use this time to exercise and get ready for yourself.
• Breakfast: Grab some breakfast and feed your little ones. Dress your children and brush their teeth.
• In the morning: Spend some time playing with your children. When your children take naps or when your children have times when they can play alone or together, you can squeeze in some work.
• Lunch: Grab a bite and feed your baby or toddler.
• Afternoon: When your children take a nap, use this time to make important phone calls or complete time-critical work. You can also set aside 30 minutes for the most urgent household tasks. When your children are awake, play with them, but if they are only playing alone for a short time, use that time to get something done.
• Dinner: Enjoy time with your children, have dinner and treat your children to a nice bath and a relaxing bedtime story.
• Abend: Once your kids are asleep, you might be able to squeeze in a few more hours of work. Because this time is free of distractions, you can do the work you really need to focus on. Or you can use this time to answer emails that you missed during the day. End the day with a relaxing shower, read a book, or watch some TV to unwind.
• On the weekend: Cook meals and prepare snacks for the coming weekdays. Write a to-do list and create a loose plan for the coming week. Stock up on craft supplies so you have them on hand. Do some important tasks like laundry so you have more freedom during the week.

Dealing with tantrums, arguments, and other behavior

If you're cooped up with a toddler or have more than one child in the house, you may encounter issues that make working from home challenging, such as temper tantrums and sibling arguments (which often lead to tantrums). Here are some ways you can curb and possibly even eliminate tantrums and other unwanted behavior:

• If possible, avoid saying “no.” You don't have to give in to every demand, but you can try to head off certain demands, redirect the behavior, or offer an alternative. For example, if your preschooler and toddler want to run around on floorboards that you don't want to scratch, you can encourage them to move to carpet instead. Of course, if they do something unsafe, you should say, "No, that's dangerous" and direct their attention to something else.
• Notice good behavior. When your child does something you want him to do (especially something that was difficult in the past), reward him with praise: "You did so well when brushing your teeth" (or when playing with your brother or picking up your socks). This tactic can go a long way in boosting your child's self-esteem and keeping the atmosphere calm and happy.
• Say yes to small successes. Give in when there isn't much at stake. For example, if your children want to eat breakfast in their pajamas, let them do it. It can also help you save energy by avoiding arguments over relatively insignificant things.
• Offer options to choose from. If your toddler has a choice, he or she may be more comfortable with the situation. For example, if your child doesn't like getting dressed, you could ask him or her when getting dressed in the morning, "Do you want to wear the blue shirt or the yellow shirt?" and let it decide. But only offer two options and always choose the one you can live with.
• Give a countdown. When something fun comes to an end, instead of telling your child that the TV is off, tell your child that they still have 15 minutes. Then say it again when there are 5 minutes left. Praise your child when he or she stops on time and does what you want at the agreed time. Setting timers works well for this strategy because toddlers often get excited when the timer goes off, which helps divert their attention from the activity that is about to end.
• Make it giggle. If you see your child on the verge of a nervous breakdown, try to make him laugh before he throws a tantrum. For example, if your child doesn't feel like brushing their teeth, you can have a race to the bathroom to see who can make the stupidest noise on the way there.
• Practice taking turns. To avoid a sibling fight over a toy, choose two toys that both children like. Let them play with it for a short time (e.g. set a timer), then have them swap toys. This may be a little time consuming for you, but it's a good first step in learning to share, which is a big challenge for most young children.

If this is your first time working from home while also caring for your children, you may feel a little overwhelmed. Give yourself time to adjust and figure out what routines are most effective for you. With a little trial and error, you'll soon find a rhythm that works for your family. It might also help you to remember the many benefits of working from home, such as less time commuting and more time with your family.