How to work from home with kids during COVID-19
As many of us around the country start our second week of lockdown in the school holidays, we thought it might be helpful to share some tips to protect our mental health when working from home with kids and partners.
This resource was developed as part of the Perinatal Workplace Wellbeing Program funded by WorkSafe Victoria’s WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund. We hope this helps you ride the COVID-19 wave with your children!
01. Use visual cues to designate your workspace.
Create a designated area as your work zone and use it consistently. Help your kids build the association that when you’re sitting there, you are working and should not be disturbed.
02. Be creative about managing kids’ time alongside your work needs.
Spilt work tasks into those that require full concentration, and those that can be done with company. Build a list of activities the kids can do to stay occupied while you work.
03. Get clear on your priorities, then focus.
Decide on your biggest priority for the day, and keep coming back to that every time your attention is drawn elsewhere. Consider using the Pomodoro Method, where you work in short bursts. Kids may find it easier to work quietly if they know you’ll have a short break with them when the timer goes off.
04. Use music or noise-cancelling headphones.
Invest in good quality earphones or noise-cancelling headphones.
Use a playlist that works for you. Music streaming services have ‘Working from home’ playlists or make your own.
05. Take breaks.
Schedule ‘time in’ for the others in your household. For example, plan to spend your lunch hour with your family, check in frequently with younger kids (little and often may work better than longer and less frequent!).
06. Manage your overall health and wellbeing.
Pay attention to any lifestyle changes that might be impacting your concentration, e.g. staying up later than usual, drinking more alcohol, eating more or less.
Keep an eye on anxiety levels, and that of your partner. If needed, reach out for support from your manager, your HR team and/or your Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
This resource was developed as part of the Perinatal Workplace Wellbeing Program (PWWP) funded by WorkSafe Victoria’s WorkWell Mental Health Improvement Fund.
COVID SUPPORT FOR YOUR TEAM
If you are looking for a creative way to connect your working parents and open up important wellbeing conversations, we recommend our 1-hour COVID-19 Wellness series delivered by our team of registered psychologists. Having delivered over 300 webinars since the start of COVID we are well placed to support your team. Click here to contact us and for more on our COVID-Wellness support.
