Is it even possible to stay productive and perform at the highest level while your kids are home? Well, it’s possible. But it’s incredibly challenging even for the most experienced moms. Kids require all of our time and energy – they just can’t get enough of us. And it’s so difficult to focus on multiple tasks when we want to be there for our kids. Here are tips for how to be more productive with kids at home!
This is a guest post by Daniela McVicker. Take it away, Daniela!
13 Best Tips for How to Be More Productive with Kids at Home
Has your productivity dropped because your kids are home now? Don’t panic. You can fix the situation. Use the following tips to tackle your never-ending list of things to get done.
#1 Wake up early
Productive people always start their day early. So if you want to be productive, you should wake up at 5 a.m. or at least at 6 a.m. Yep, even if you’ve never been a morning person and you work from home, you should get up from your bed that early.
The way you start your day largely determines the quality of your day, your work, and your life. For this reason, you should adjust your morning rituals and find a way to never hit the snooze button.
Here are a few tips on how to get up early and start mornings the right way:
- Put your phone (your alarm clock, or whatever device you use) far from your bed. You will have to step out of your bed and make a few extra movements to turn the alarm clock off. That will shake your sleep off.
- Don’t allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early. Don’t make hitting a snooze button an option. When the alarm clock is ringing, count 5-4-3-2-1, and jump out of your bed.
- Make waking up early a reward. Every time you wake up at 5 a.m., treat yourself with a tasty biscuit, a cup of your favorite matcha latte, or something unique that brings your joy.
- Go to bed early. Don’t binge-watch Netflix all night long. Moms need to sleep at least seven hours at night to stay productive during the day.
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#2 Stick to a schedule
When it comes to productivity, schedule, and routine are the things that matter the most. Even if your kids don’t have to go to school and you don’t need to go to the office, you still need to wake up at the specified time and live by a pre-set schedule. It will help your family to fight procrastination and achieve higher results.
- You and your kids should wake up at the same hour every day, weekends and holidays included.
- Your family should have breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time daily.
- You should dedicate specific hours to work, study, and entertainment.
- You should go to bed before midnight.
Check out this task board infographic from our friends at Quill!
#3 Write a to-do list
As a mom, you always think about a bunch of things you need to do. Thoughts like “I need to bake cookies with my kids” and “It’s time to do laundry” are going round and round in your head – you can’t concentrate on one specific task.
To maximize your productivity, you should put your thoughts on paper and create a to-do list. It will help you to prioritize your daily tasks and track your progress. There a few essential things you need to know about to-do lists:
- The best time to create a to-do list is early morning or time before bed.
- If you need to add large tasks to your to-do list, break them into smaller tasks.
- Start your day by completing a few simple tasks. That will give you a sense of achievement and empower you to keep working on more challenging tasks.
- Take advantage of new technologies. Use to-do list apps to set reminders, store notes, and work with your calendar.
#4 Have enough “me time”
If you stay with your kids 24/7 for an extended period, you may experience burnout and a drastic drop in productivity. To prevent that, you should create at least 30 minutes in your day to stay alone and enjoy your “me time”. You need that time to unwind yourself from all the “mom’s responsibilities”, relax, and clear your mind.
Here are a few ideas of how you can spend your “me time”:
- Read a book
- Listen to the podcast
- Paint a picture
- Cook something special
- Go for a long walk
- Practice dancing
- Write a poem
- Take a foam bath
- Use a face mask
#5 Don’t skip workouts
To stay productive, you need to keep working out and stay fit. It will help you to maintain your physical and emotional health while your kids are home.
If you can’t go to a yoga studio or gym, you can exercise in your living room, or backyard, or garage. Just find any spot in your house where you can roll out your mat and place your dumbbells.
Invite your kids to practice with you. Show them basic exercises and encourage them to repeat simple movements. Regular family workouts will help you not only to improve your health but also to strengthen your relationships.
If you are a super busy mom and you don’t have time to work out, you should try to bring movement into tiny moments. For instance, you can do the following:
- Do 20 push-ups and 40 crunches during the commercials.
- Do 30 heel raises when you are waiting for a coffee machine to make you coffee.
- Do 20 deep lunges while throwing wet clothes in the dryer.
#6 Encourage your kids to help you around the house
Do you feel tired all the time because of tons of work you do around the house? Ask your family members to help you:
- Encourage your kids to clean their dishes.
- Ask your husband to vacuum clean the living room when he has a spare minute.
- Teach your toddler to pick up his toys.
- Ask your older daughter to sort your laundry into whites, brights, and darks.
Show your kids and spouse how much you appreciate their help and support. Make them feel valued, and they will be happy to assist you in whatever situation.
#7 Use the Pomodoro technique
Have you heard about a time management technique called Pomodoro? You can use this technique to eliminate a multi-tasking habit and create a sense of urgency to get more things done.
This is a short guide on how to use the Pomodoro technique:
- Set a timer to 25 minutes and choose one task to focus on
- Work on the task for 25 minutes. Ask your kids not to distract you within this period.
- Take (an obligatory!) 5-minute break for energy renewal, then choose another task to work on for another 25 minutes.
- Make a 20-30-minute break after completing four rounds. Spend this time with your kids – try to get distracted and relax.
#8 Give your kids more freedom
If you don’t want your kids to distract you from work, let them do what they want. Do your kids want to play video games, watch cartoons, or use social media? Let them spend an hour a day in the way they want. Don’t supervise them. Let them feel the freedom, and they will have no reason to disturb you.
Don’t be a strict mom. Let your kids enjoy their childhood to the fullest.
Don’t be a strict mom. Let your kids enjoy their childhood to the fullest. In case if you want to have at least some control over the situation, you may set some basic rules like these ones:
- Don’t play cruel video games
- Don’t watch YouTube videos for more than an hour
- Set low volume when watching action movies and cartoons
#9 Block social media
How often do you look at your phone? How many times per day do you check new Stories on Instagram? How many times per hour do you check comments on Facebook?
Social media kills your time and productivity. And the best way to create an extra hour in a day is to block social networking sites. Seriously. You should stop your smartphone addiction. This is an excellent tip on how to be more productive with kids at home.
How to use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest wisely?
- Find a specific window in your day for social media. For instance, you can allow yourself to check what’s new on Instagram only after having breakfast, and use Facebook only after completing a workout.
- Set a daily reminder within the app. The app will send you a reminder once you have reached the time you set for yourself.
- If the previous approach doesn’t work for you, install blocker apps on your PC and your phone.
#10 Try wearing a bra
Do you wear a bra at home? No? You should give in a try. Well, it may sound like weird advice. But many moms over there say that it works – this little trick does help to boost productivity.
What associations do you have with the word “bra”? What thoughts do you have in your head when putting on this piece of undergarment? I need to get myself together and get ready for a long productive day.
When we are dressed in a comfy pajama, we don’t want to work – we want to lay on the sofa with kids and watch Frozen.
The point is that the garment we wear affects our mood and our ability to focus and concentrate. When we are dressed in a comfy pajama, we don’t want to work – we want to lay on the sofa with kids and watch Frozen.
When we’re wearing a bra and not-that-comfy clothes, the situation is the opposite. We are eager to work hard to complete all the tasks as soon as possible and, finally, take that damn bra off and relax with a glass of wine.
#11 Take advantage of video conferencing software
Do you have friends or relatives who like to spend time with your kids, but who currently are far away? Invite them to jump on a Zoom or Skype call and read a story or play a game with your son and daughter for 30 minutes.
That will be a win-win situation. Your kids and your friends will get some socialization and entertainment. You will get a chance to focus on your work and maximize your productivity.
#12 Homeschool your kids like a pro
Are you struggling to find a balance between your work and homeschooling? Well, you are not alone with this problem. Homeschooling is a real challenge for all moms! To maximize your productivity, do the following:
- Ask your kids to wear noise-canceling headphones. That’s a simple yet effective way to limit distractions.
- Incorporate lots of breaks. Don’t force your children to study a few hours in a row. Give them time to unwind.
- Don’t criticize little mistakes like grammar. Praise your kid for the things they do right.
- If your children don’t want to read books, encourage them to watch fascinated videos. Find relevant educational content on YouTube.
- Don’t worry if you can’t provide your kids with a separate learning space. A flat surface like a kitchen or dining table is all you need.
- Don’t get desperate when something goes wrong, and you can’t help your kids with a specific task. Remember that you can always get professional help. You can reach out to a school teacher or use a
.
#13 Talk to your kids about the importance of your work
Your kids don’t understand why you don’t want to spend all your time playing with them. So you should find the right words to explain that “mommy needs to work to earn money and pay bills”.
Once your kids have a good idea of how important your work is, they will support you.
Your children should have a clear understanding of the situation. They shouldn’t feel like you ignore them.
Once your kids have a good idea of how important your work is, they will support you. They will stop asking you a million questions when you need to concentrate. And your older kids will want to treat their hardworking mommy with a cup of coffee during the break. This is a great tip on how to be more productive with kids at home!
Final Thoughts on How to Be More Productive With Kids at Home
Use the tips given, and you will raise your productivity levels. You will feel like you have enough hours in a day to be around your kids and to complete all the tasks on your long to-do list.
Never forget that you are a strong woman. Whatever is happening in this world, you can handle it all.
About the Author:
Daniela McVicker is a psychologist and family counselor. She is also a freelance writer and a contributor to Essayguard . Her passion is writing about leading a healthy family life and helping people enjoy their lives to the fullest.
Related Posts:
- 10 Helpful Activities to Do With Kids While Working From Home
- 15 Flexible Jobs for Moms With Small Kids Who Want to Work at Home
- 4 Best Crafts for Kids to Maximize Parent-Child Bonding
- 5 Steps to Achieve Your Professional Goals This Year!
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