How to Move to Work From Home After You Have Children
There are many reasons why you might want to start working from home after becoming a parent. The commute eats up too much of your day; you want to move to be closer to a large family, but want to take your job with you; or you just crave the added flexibility that working from home can provide.
If now is the time to give it a try, here are some ways to make the transition smoother.
How to ask your boss
Maybe you have a boss who periodically asks: “Hey, does anyone want to work remotely instead of coming here all the time?” But it’s more likely that if you want to go from working in the office to working at home full time, you will have to ask.
Prepare for the conversation by considering and addressing any obstacles you might encounter on your path to a successful work from home. If all you need is a computer and an Internet connection, this will be easier than if your job requires a lot of equipment. (If you really need additional equipment, who will provide it?) Also consider whether there are regular meetings that you usually attend in the office and whether you can adequately “attend” them by phone or video chat.
It will be easier to justify your opinion if telecommuting is already part of your company’s culture. There may be other telecommuters working full-time, or you may already be working from home on an individual basis as needed. If, on the other hand, your boss is hesitant to make a full commitment, consider offering to try a short trial to prove that you can be as productive at home as in the office.
It also doesn’t hurt to arm yourself with the knowledge that telecommuters are actually more productive and, on average, work more days per month than office workers.
Create a dedicated workplace
If your boss said yes, now you really need to go. And that doesn’t mean I’m just putting my laptop at the kitchen table tomorrow morning. For the past six years I have worked somewhat from home – first as a freelance writer and now as a full-time writer and editor. I worked at the dining table and from my couch, but that changed for me when I turned the rarely used guest bedroom into an office (with a sofa bed so I can still accommodate the occasional guest).
You may not be able to occupy an entire room, but make it a priority to create a dedicated workspace that is just for you and does not contain plastic toys or baby equipment. This is where your computer will live, your weekly planner can stay open with important reminders, and sticky notes can dominate surfaces.
I have found that sitting down to work in a designated area helps my brain switch from home / parenting to work at work. As I sit at the dinner table, I’m tempted to clean up my son’s paintings from yesterday, or wipe down kitchen countertops that I suddenly see are dirty. But when I sit down at my workplace, I only focus on work.
Having a separate work space also helped keep me from going crazy in my home. I like my house, but I visit it a lot. After a while, the walls can start to approach you, so if you spend your work time elsewhere in the house, it can add a little variety to your surroundings.
Protect your working hours
When you’re working from home, it’s tempting to cook a little dinner, empty the dishwasher in the afternoon, or do your laundry tonight.
From time to time I think to myself, “I’ll just quickly throw out a bunch of laundry, it’ll only take a minute.” And then I go back to work and immediately forget about it until about eight in the evening, when I realize: “Shit, a bunch of wet towels have been in my basement for many hours.”
But most importantly, a parent looking to migrate to telecommuting for added flexibility might be mistaken in thinking they can save on childcare. It’s okay for a random snowy day or when your kids are sick at home, but you will find that there are more problems these days than those days when you are alone, especially if your kids are young.
My son is nine years old and can be entertained all day, but still wants a snack or something to eat, he may need help finding a toy, and will probably come to my office periodically to discuss a plot twist. in the show he’s watching, or make sure I know how much damage Pokémon Blastoise can do. Even if they are old enough not to take up a lot of your time, they still have a way to disrupt your concentration. And when he was very young? Forget it, I only did work while sleeping or after my husband got home from work.
Arrange for regular childcare at home or outside the home. With babies, it can be especially convenient to have a nanny come to your home, especially if you are breastfeeding. In this case, however, make sure you have clear boundaries about when and under what circumstances you might be disturbed. And, if possible, position your work area away from where the nanny and baby are most likely to be so that you are not tempted to jump up and down every time you hear crying.