I am so lucky that I am able to support my family by working from home. It can be tough! It is never easy to work from home when you have a toddler or baby.
It can be hard to focus and get everything done. There are a few things that have worked for me that I wanted to share so that you can be more productive.
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How to Work from Home With a Toddler
Fill Their “Love Tank”
I have a very active little girl who always wants to get into everything! It just isn’t possible for me to write a blog post or respond to emails when she is awake.
I try to spend most of the hours she is awake with her and focus on being a good mom to her. The whole reason I work from home is to be able to spend time with her, so that is what I try to do.
I do check social media and post to Pinterest during this time though. It is quick and easy to do so it doesn’t need my full attention. I usually do this when she wants to watch a little TV or while she is playing.
I will spend about 30 minutes to an hour playing, reading, or just spending time with her before I start working. This is when I am able to fill her “love tank”. When her “love tank” is full, she has no problem playing by herself for a while so that I can get some work done.
I will usually work for an hour at a time, then take a break to recharge her “love tank” again.
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Get Up Early or Stay up Late
I get the full load of my work done when she is asleep. Once it is 8:00 pm, she is in the bed and I get to focus on writing or doing whatever needs to be done.
I also do this during her nap times but those are hard to come by these days. She was never a really good napper even when she was a baby, so I am kind of used to that.
Even just waking up an hour earlier before your child gets up will allow you to get organized for the day or send emails.
You have to figure out which time is most productive for you.
Keep Your Toddler Occupied While you Work
As a blogger, I am able to wait until she is asleep to write my blog posts. I know that some work from home jobs don’t allow for this but you can still get plenty of work done during the day.
I always make sure that I have something to keep her occupied for at least 30 minutes at a time. Puzzles, blocks, and coloring books are great to have on hand.
I have my desk set up in her playroom. I can work while still keeping an eye on her while she does some mess-free kid activities.
Another great tip is to have some kind of toy rotation. When they haven’t played with certain toys for a while, they will seem brand new to them. They won’t get bored as easily.
Educational Options
Don’t be afraid to break out the TV or Tablet when you have to. There are so many educational programs for kids on Netflix.
I don’t mind if she watches a show for 30 minutes because she is still learning her numbers and letters. My favorites are the following shows:
- Super Why
- Story bots
- The Magic Schoolbus
- Wild Kratts
- Word Party
We also use ABCMouse.com. My daughter can play games while learning at the same time. I love this program because it can read stories aloud to your child when you aren’t able to.
She can follow along and learn the words herself. You can even get your first month free!
Work from Home Mom Tips
It can be difficult trying to get work done while watching a toddler. When you add housework and cooking to the mix, it can seem overwhelming.
Toddlers are old enough to start helping out with some of these chores. Bonus, it keeps them busy!
Have your child pick up after themselves, especially their toys. That is one less thing for you to do.
My daughter likes to help me with laundry. She loves putting things in and out of the washer and dryer.
Plan with your Partner
Every week, I sit down with my husband and we make a plan. We let each other know the jobs we have to get done. This may mean that when I am busy, he will have to do more housework and vice versa.
If he is not busy, he can take our daughter to the playground so that I can have some uninterrupted work time.
Since I work from home, it benefits both of us so both of us have to step up to make this work. We are saving a fortune on child care!
I know that everyone has different ways to tackle working from home or just getting things done around the house. I would love to hear your suggestions for how you work from home with a toddler or baby. How do you stay productive?
