Block By Block: Survival Tips for Remote Working
Parents With Toddlers/Babies
When you’ve got toddlers and/or babies, working from home can quickly become chaotic.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tried and tested strategies to help you manage and even thrive
in this challenging state of affairs – here are a few to consider.
Space
When you’re balancing deadlines and diapers, it’s important to be aware of space. Creating
clear parameters around the area that you live or work in can help you to find balance between
your personal and work affairs.
● Workspace: You can start by designating a specific area in your home as your
workspace and try to keep this as child-free as possible. If you can’t physically create
barriers, consider investing in a good quality noise-canceling headset to help block out
any background noise and interruptions.
● Decluttering: A cluttered and disorganized home can quickly add to your stress levels,
so try to keep your living space as tidy and organized as possible. This might involve
setting aside a specific time each day for cleaning and decluttering or simply making a
point to put things away as you go – you’ll find no shortage of guides to help with this
online.
● Relaxation: Mental space and physical space are often intertwined, and having room to
enjoy relaxation is critical if you want to survive remote working with kids. Try to open up
some floor space to be used for yoga and meditation by rearranging furniture or
reallocating objects to other, lesser-used rooms.
Assistance
If you’re managing work and family obligations simultaneously, it’s important to reach out for
help – help in the modern age can take many forms, not always human.
● Technology: There are many tools and resources available to help remote-working
parents stay organized and on track. Consider using a task management app to keep on
top of your to-do list or setting up video calls with your child daycare or school to stay in
the loop. You could also look into voice-activated home assistants to see if these can aid
with basic tasks.
● Friends and Family: Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your family and friends (if your
child has thinking difficulties, this is still sometimes possible). They may be able to take
your child for a few hours, so you can have some dedicated work time or even just offer
an ear when you need to vent.
Added Tips
If you want to maintain your sanity whilst working remotely with toddlers and babies, you’ll need
to implement a few additional, practical measures.
● Clothing: Comfortable clothing is a blessing when it comes to long hours spent
working/caring. Nursing bras, for example, provide extra support in addition to easy
access when it comes time to breastfeed. Visit online marketplaces to find top-rated bras
that you can add to a shopping cart whilst stocking up on essentials like diapers and
wipes.
● Boundaries: Adopting a hard stance when it comes to boundaries will protect you from
being overburdened by others. This includes setting limits with work and making sure
you have time for your family. Be clear on work hours and stick to them, or simply say no
to additional tasks or projects if you're feeling overwhelmed.
Kids and work don’t always gel (as many of us working from home have quickly discovered). It
is possible, however, to adjust your daily routines to facilitate both sides of life. Take some time
to think about what you can change to benefit both yourself and your kids.
Hefty Healthy works to bring quality, insightful, and trusted information on mental dieting,
healthy choices, a positive mindset, financial advice, and just a great lifestyle blog. Just anything
related to good life choices to the public while engaging with you guys and the community.
Learn more at: www.heftyhealthy.com
Image by Pexels