Remote Worker Tips: How to Work at Home With a Toddler

Has your workplace transitioned to a work-at-home or hybrid workplace? Working from home sounds exciting at first, but the adjustment period can be difficult for some remote workers. Both employers and employees may be shocked at how many things must change and what challenges remote workers are going to face.

This is especially true for remote workers that must learn how to work from home with a toddler. Working from home with children brings a whole new set of challenges to the home office, especially if they’re not in daycare or school.

Our experts are here to offer advice. Keep reading to learn a few tips for dads and moms working from home for employers and employees.

With or without children, one of the hardest things about working from home is separating work life and home life. This can make it hard to disconnect from work and have a healthy work/life balance as a remote worker.

When you have a toddler, you need to be able to keep an eye on them if you’re the only responsible person in the household. You could do this with baby monitors, or you could set up a home workspace in an area where your toddler can play.

Set your home office up in a spare room or living room that you only use for work purposes to keep your head in “work mode.” When designing a home office, a home office ergonomics assessment is recommended to ensure comfort and productivity while working from home.

Hire Help 

There’s no shame in asking for outside help when you need it. Working from home with kids is tough and it is wise to invest in your workspace.

Never be afraid to hire a babysitter even if you’re at home, or if you want to do your work somewhere else for a change of scenery. If you have another adult in your family or community that can watch your child for a few hours, ask if they’re available.

It’s helpful to find a community of other parents to arrange playdates so your child can have fun while you work.

Hiring help also includes investing in home office design. If you’re an employer, it is vital to provide remote workers with home office design help. Focusing on the home office design will take some time and know-how, so consider hiring an Ergonomics Home Office Assessment to help design a home office for your employees or yourself. An ergonomics consultant will be able to guide you, as well as ensure comfort and productivity for remote workers.

Consider one of Solutions Northwest Inc.’s virtual home office ergonomics assessments for a convenient and affordable assessment of your employee’s office.

Maintain a Schedule

Part of parenting toddlers is knowing how to plan and maintain a schedule.

Parents know as well as anyone that toddlers have their own plans for how their days are going to go, but pre-planned schedules benefit them. It gives them structure and prepares them for when they’re ready to go to school.

Their schedule and your schedule are going to create a balancing act. Toddlers need attention, but you also need to get your work done.

Plan time for independent play and learning. With all of the technology available for children now, this is easy. Use a child-friendly tablet, children’s programs, and games to keep your child engaged while they’re on their own.

They should also have time and materials for creative play like drawing and playing pretend. Remember, you’re responsible for providing enrichment for the child.

Between playtime and learning time, set aside time for lunch at the same time every day. After lunch, let the child nap. Naptime is your time to get the most difficult parts of your work done if possible.

Children won’t understand at first that you don’t have time to pay constant attention to them, but if you maintain a schedule and they know they can look forward to playtime, they’ll be more agreeable.

Stay Proactive When Working from Home With a Toddler

Learning how to work from home with a child is a challenge. Remote workers are already adapting to a work-from-home environment, and layering on the delicate balance of parenting and working can be stressful.

Control as much of your space as you can by making sure you have a designated workspace, a routine, and a proper home office design.

When you’re comfortable, happy, and pain-free – your work becomes much easier. While you’re here, we should let you know that the ergonomics experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. are now offering affordable Virtual Ergonomics Assessments specifically for remote workers (all you need is access to e-mail or a smart phone).

Looking for More Tips on How to Create an Ergonomic Workspace? Contact us at SolutionsNW.com, we will be happy to help you!

At SolutionsNW.com we value the importance of a positive workplace culture. Part of a positive workplace is a safe workplace, Contact Us to schedule an ergonomics consultation or ergonomics assessment for your office today.

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