Suggestions for a Home Office Environment with Children

When you need to work from home without prior preparation – if you and your children will be at home at the same time – you will need to improvise a little. Here are a few tips for creating an ideal working environment in your home!

Use your living room as an office
Working from home can be really difficult when you have children. Even if you have arranged a room as a home office, if your children are at home with you, you may not be able to retreat to your private office room as you will have to keep an eye on them.
The best approach to working at home while caring for your young children is to create your ‘home office’ in your living room. Choose a corner for your business, or a chair and coffee table where you can take your laptop and work, and be sure to stick to this choice. This decision will program your brain that this area is for work. Don’t work on the couch only on Mondays, on the kitchen table on Tuesdays, and on the bed other days; Instead, try to discipline yourself to work in the same place every day, as you would in your regular office.

Set up routine programs
If we know one thing about children, it’s that they don’t stay where you put them, they are constantly in motion and want something. When your children see you at home all the time, they will always want to attract your attention and play with you, as they enjoy playing with you at a normal time.

You should explain why everyone is at home using a language suitable for your child’s age, you can talk to the parents of your child’s class or playmates and exchange ideas. If you can make a proper statement, you can ensure that your child can empathize with you. Of course, children understand first, act as you wish for a while and then get out of control again. In this case, you can continue to explain themselves to patience. Do not hesitate to seek professional help to keep your work and family life in order.

By putting the work and processes in the home into a routine, making these routines visible by drawing them on a large board or paper will be traceable both for you and your children.

Use “do not disturb” signs
Use some signs so that children and other family members walking around the house will understand that you are not available at the moment, that you are in a meeting. For example, the fact that a large trinket is in a vertical or horizontal position may indicate to your family members whether you are currently available or not. One small flag / pennant, even a lighted light bulb, can show the same warning. Sometimes you can report an important phone call by calling out to make sure everyone in the house can hear it.

You can explain the situations that you are busy with your family members with proper communication, as well as explain the situation you are in to your colleagues or customers. If the people you are interviewing know that your baby is sleeping and that there is a possibility of waking up at any moment, when your baby really wakes up, they will be prepared and you will not have to make various explanations.