During a typical week, I work from home for twenty to thirty hours. Although this allows me greater opportunity to see my wife and two small children, it can also be a little tricky at times. I’ve developed the following rules and routines for making the best of the situation.
- Create an office separate from the main living areas of the house and declare it off limits during working hours.
Help your child make a child readable sign for the office door so that he will know when it is and isn’t acceptable to burst into the office.
- Invest in some quality headphones for quiet, heads down, work.
I can’t count the number of times my wife has apologized to me because the everyone was running around screaming, and I responded “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
- Maintain a good work schedule, and stick to it.
Something that really helps in our home is that I have set working hours during the day. At 4 PM, I emerge from my office like someone returning home from work, and I’ll take the children to the park, help with chores around the house, or run errands with the family.
- Train the children to go silent when Dad’s cellphone rings, but make sure your cellphone ringer is turned on.
In our house, we have a game. When our eldest son hears my phone ring, he runs and asks his mother for a sticker for his “Daddy’s Phone Log” on the refrigerator. It’s made him become more aware of when I’m on the telephone and has the added benefit of sending him running away when the phone rings. Make sure, though, that you turn your ringer on. If you forget, and answer your phone after it vibrates, no one else will know that you’re talking to someone else and will pester you with “Huh?” and “What?” when they think you’re talking to them.
- Take a long lunch and enjoy your opportunity to work from home.
Enjoy the fact you’re working from home and take a time out in the middle of the day to enjoy a long and leisurely lunch.
- Ask your spouse to communicate with you via IM or email.
Nothing makes it more obvious that you’re working from home more than having your spouse constantly talking to you. Ask her to email or instant message you so you can ignore them like you would your coworkers’ messages if you were at the office.
What are your tips and tricks for working at home with the kids?
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Rosanna on August 29th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Great posting. All WAHMs and WAHDs need to take the time and initiative to retain both their professionalism and the balance in their lives. :)
How to work from home and keep a balanced life at Start a Side Business on August 30th, 2006 at 1:09 am
[...] In preparing this post, I read quite a few other posts, and many of them have great advice. Probably too much advice in most cases. One article that stood out is an article just published from Business Opportunities Weblog with very good advice if you have young children roaming freely at home. One thing I found lacking, though, is that they are missing the first step, and that step is critical. Everyone’s situation is different, so what you need to do is first identify the challenges you face. [...]
Eric From Pup Life on August 30th, 2006 at 10:36 am
Working from home is a fantastic treat that most folks would kill for. We run a web based business selling dog supplies online and our two dogs are the love of our lives. They also can be attention hogs some times since they are used to us being home all the time, and we pamper them a little too much.
So - a good way to ensure that you are not bothered by your kids (or your dogs) is to make sure that they are not bored. This works for us. We keep our dogs busy with plenty of interactive toys (treat toys work wonders) and give them good workouts in the morning. This tuckers our kids (the four legged variety) out during the late morning/early afternoon time period when we crank out most of our work. For humans, I guess this would mean lots of activities that the kids can do (arts & crafts, science, whatever they are into).
We also try and get in some play time during the long lunch period (we agree, long lunches are good!) and this works wonders. If your kids stay busy through the day, you can really get a lot more done. Of course, night times are all about family, so try and set aside 2-3 hours a night (minimum) for family time (without computers!)
Nancy on August 30th, 2006 at 10:44 am
Point #6 is an especially good one. My spouse and I both work from home, and we often e-mail/IM each other while we work — it’s very helpful in terms of maintaining boundaries.
Dominic on August 30th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
I find that it is also good to take a couple of hours off from time to time so that you can enjoy something special with the children.
I would never have been able to do this while working at a permanent job.
I’m not to good at taking the long lunches though. I would rather start early and power through to early afternoon so that I can finish for the day. However, I invariably end up doing a couple of hours in the evening after the children are asleep.
Wendy Piersall on August 30th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
HA! I saw us together on ProBlogger today and was going to include this in the blog carnival I’m hosting - then you went and submitted it on your own! Great minds think alike ;) Thanks!! My readers will LOVE this.
» Get those damned kids out of here, I’m trying to write! - PimpMyPageRank.com on August 30th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
[...] There’s an excellent article over at the Business Opportunities Weblog (found via problogger) about working at home, and how to be productive. [...]
Scott Howard on August 30th, 2006 at 4:25 pm
Awesome read, I have some posts about children if you want to check them out here http://www.dipnoi.org/archives/category/children/
Working at home, with children at Holy Shmoly! on August 31st, 2006 at 1:36 am
[...] I hope Ryan sees this, but 6 tips for working at home with children lists 2 good work habits that anyone working at home should follow: [...]
Al on August 31st, 2006 at 4:58 am
I’m due to start working from home fulltime in the next couple of months so thanks for the advice. I especially liked:
“Ask her to email or instant message you so you can ignore them like you would your coworkers’ messages if you were at the office.”
:)
Teresa on August 31st, 2006 at 5:50 am
Wow, this is some great advice! I have a 3 year old and one on the way. Too bad not many of these will be able to apply to me, since my husband works out of the house. I’ll have to do some major juggling without the help of a spouse.
Jennifer Irving on August 31st, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Great ideas. I will definitely be employing these when the boys get older. Right now the concept of mommy’s on the phone is inconceivable . It is funny though that when the phone rings they run over to stare at the phone ;)
RichBackpacker on August 31st, 2006 at 10:29 pm
Fantastic post. I have never thought about idea 6, but I’ll definately try it out.
Kashif on September 1st, 2006 at 2:12 am
Nice tips. As I am planning to go solo next year, will certainly keep these tips in mind. Thanks :)
Tipps um von zu Hause aus zu Arbeiten at Linux Swords on September 1st, 2006 at 3:22 am
[...] 6 gute Tipps um von zu Hause aus zu arbeiten. [...]
Tipps um von zu Hause aus zu Arbeiten mit Kindern at Linux Swords on September 1st, 2006 at 3:23 am
[...] 6 gute Tipps um von zu Hause aus zu arbeiten. Die Frage ob das mit Kindern möglich ist bleibt offen 1 Tipp davon: Take a long lunch and enjoy your opportunity to work from home. [...]
New Website Builder on September 3rd, 2006 at 8:32 am
Good tips! I am a new work at home dad, and I plan to integrate your ideas into my lifestyle.
The Business of America is Business on September 3rd, 2006 at 11:46 am
The Carnival of the Capitalists…
Welcome to The Carnival of the Capitalists at The Business of America is Business This is my second time hosting the Carnival in the last month. Keeping with what has become something of a tradition, I have found myself hosting within a few days of my…
nicole Caulfield on September 4th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Well I have to say that the tips don’t help me out much. Sorry! I’m a stay at home mom with a 3 year old and seven year old and I’m also a full-time artist. If I tried to do these things my daughter would be bringing herself up!
I find that moving my “studio” (office to most people) into the main living area allows me to interact with my child and get things finished.
Nicole
Andi on September 9th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
As another artist working at home, I’m in the same boat as Nicole. My daughter is 2 and my husband’s employers have been wonderful about allowing him to adjust his work schedule to work from home one day a week and to work less conventional hours the days that he’s in the office. Unfortunately, that just means that during those hours we’re both trying to work from home and share child care. We manage, sometimes better than others, but it’s not easy and some of the strategies that you’ve suggested just haven’t worked in our situation. I am, however, going to point out the suggestion about the headphones, they may be just what he needs during those “to the grindstone” periods when toddler noises and Elmo seem to make it impossible to focus.
Angie on September 10th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
My husband works out of the home, and I work part-time from home over the Internet, mainly. So I’m on the computer a lot and my 3 yr old is fascinated with the computer. Sometimes nothing looks better to him than my computer, despite whatever I do. But the things that help otherwise have been 1) setting up a table with activities for him (eg, K’Nex, or our ancient 486 laptop), and 2) blocking off the computer area with a SuperGate, if need be. (We’re next to each other, just on different sides of the gate.) That way he isn’t closed away from me, but I’m not constantly pushing him away from my equipment. Another idea I want to implement is working for 50 minutes and breaking for 10 to play with him. Mainly, you just have to keep changing it all up (both the activities and “barriers”) so nothing gets old or excessively frustrating.
Cathy White on September 11th, 2006 at 11:21 am
I have 3-year-old and infant daughters, and I work at home. I couldn’t work without someone to watch the children, so I have a sitter come over every day so I can work in peace. I can’t imagine trying to work at home without one, since my children are so long, and my job requires long periods of concentration (I’m a programmer).
Brian on September 14th, 2006 at 7:06 am
A phone (or, better still, speakerphone), with a MUTE button on it is a must. I work from home 30 hours per week, and most of the time the kids “respect” when Dad is working, but sometimes they don’t, and sometimes what’s happening around you is more urgent than what’s happening on the phone.
homebusinessrules.com » on September 16th, 2006 at 2:21 am
[...] Business Opportunities Weblog | 6 Tips for Working at Home With Opportunities, ideas, news, and links for small business entrepreneurs During a typical week, I work from home for twenty to thirty hours. Although this allows me greater [...]
Blogging Baby (Work From home business opportunity) on October 7th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
[...] Business Opportunities Weblog | 6 Tips for Working at Home With Enjoy the fact you re working from home and take a time out in the middle of the day to enjoy a long and leisurely lunch. Ask your spouse to communicate with you via IM or email. [...]
alex johnson on January 18th, 2007 at 2:03 am
Very interesting. Of course you could also consider getting a garden office, very popular here in the UK and it seems increasingly so in the US too. Take a look at my blog at http://shedworking.blogspot.com for more on this trend. I also publish a bimonthly pdf magazine for ’shedworkers’ called The Shed.
Dyna Moriga on February 10th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Mark Brandenburg, author of “25 Secrets of Emotionally Intelligent Fathers,” wrote an article on his perspective of the same topic:
http://www.wahm.com/articles/working-home-kids.html
Carrie on February 11th, 2007 at 9:29 am
I hate to be a dissenter, but…
You’re kidding, right?
Shut yourself up in an office and put a “do not disturb” sign on the doorknob?
“Emerge” from that room at 4 and act like you’ve just come home from work?
Ask your wife to IM or email you rather than just talk to you?
Umm… sorry for asking, but… why is it that you wanted to work from home in the first place? You’re so segregated and isolated, you may as well go work in an office somewhere.
Successful working from home does not mean you have to re-create the office environment at home. Think about it. If people loved the office environment so much, they wouldn’t be falling over themselves to leave it, would they? :)
» Business Opportunities Weblog | 6 Tips for Working at Home With Children on February 11th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
[...] Business Opportunities Weblog | 6 Tips for Working at Home With Children [...]
Britney on March 25th, 2007 at 5:06 am
Thank you for your site. I have found here much useful information…2
Chetan on March 25th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Great post, was a bit funny and a bit serious for me.
Thanks for sharing the post and information.
Karen on May 25th, 2007 at 9:51 am
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Passport to Wealth on May 27th, 2007 at 6:10 am
I loved this post. Although I do agree with Carrie in that the whole idea in working from home is to not be isolated and away from family. One does need to create time, however, in which they are not bothered though so work can be done.
My favorite tip is the long lunch. I love that I can head upstairs and have a long, fun lunch with my wife and kids and they love it too.
Just dont forget the joys of working from home. If you make your home environment too “corporate” you do not get to fully enjoy the work from home experience.
http://www.1000-per-day.com
Izrul on August 6th, 2007 at 12:51 am
Thanks for the wonderful tips. I’m planning to work from my home full time someday. And I’m a little bit worried if my spouse don’t understand about working at home is almost the same as working in the office. After reading your TIPS number 6, I can smile now. :)
portrait artist on November 5th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
I’m also working at home. Although I’m still single, I can’t dismiss the fact that I’m still living with my siblings at home. I think I’ll modify some of your tricks so they can be applicable to me. Thanks so much for these tips. Very simple yet very effective.