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Juggling a career and parenthood is hard enough when you’re not trying to do both at the same time. Sending the workforce home and closing schools left single parents with a tough dilemma. How can you focus on balancing spreadsheets when a toddler is demanding your attention every few seconds?
Fortunately, tech innovators responded to the remote bomb in a big way. There are a variety of tools available that can make your workday easier and more seamless – even with crayons all over your desk.
Check out these helpful tips and tools for managing remote work and solo childcare.
Set Alarms and Stick to a Schedule
When you’re trying to spread yourself between two places, spending every minute wisely is essential. Time management could be the single most important skill to cultivate if you want to succeed as a stay-at-home dad and employee.
Alarms and alerts are available on virtually every digital device, and they can be synced across multiple avenues to make sure that they’re never out of arm’s reach. Project management, task planning, and employee monitoring software typically come with timekeeping features built into the main dashboard.
Mealtimes, sleep schedules, and the duration of individual tasks can all be measured to effectively maximize your time and your child’s attention span. Planning tasks around the time of day can also change your level of productivity – as well as the trajectory of your day if you’re caring for a night or day-friendly child.
Addressing the optimal time to perform all your tasks throughout the day is an easy way to make each routine more favorable day by day.
From remembering to drink water to setting screen time limits – for yourself and for the kids – timekeeping can help everyone in the household work through each day without a hitch.
Set Reasonable Expectations
We all want to be those perfect Instagram parents who wake up at 4 am every day with a smile and a hot yoga routine. But, these are trying times and it’s important to be realistic about your goals and expectations.
Meeting milestones is a great way to boost morale throughout your home and workspace. Making sure that you’re able to meet those goals will prevent burnout and frustration from everyone involved.
Children and coworkers alike can enjoy the benefits of achieving set goals and targets on a regular basis. The consistency is likely to provide you with some support and reassurance, as well.
Stick to the Basics
With everyone in the home spending so much time together, it’s important to prevent overcomplicating situations as they arise to keep everyone working smoothly. Just like sticking to a schedule helps to facilitate efficiency, taking a minimalist approach can prevent each day from simply blending into the next.
Meal prepping is a great way to build a foundational routine for you and your children. Plan your snacks and meal times around your child’s so you can enjoy a bit of quality time during your busy days.
When it comes to getting enough sleep, planning your projects around your child’s sleep schedule can help you to utilize each part of the day in the most effective way possible. You can either take advantage of the quiet to power through an arduous task, or catch up on some z’s yourself.
Making sure you’re all staying as happy and healthy and possible is the foundation of reaching your best performance in a home-based setting.
Using the right tools, as well as sticking to some foundational habits is the recipe for success for single parents across the country. As we all try to navigate through these unprecedented times, taking small steps to improve your daily routines can make a huge difference in every household.
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This content is brought to you by Adam Smith.
Photo: Shutterstock