Are you feeling daunted by another day of juggling work and keeping tabs on your kids at home? Is your to-do list getting bigger? Do you need a break already?
It’s time to take a look at your daily schedule.
Working at home has its benefits but the schedule isn’t one of them. It’s easy to work longer hours, forget to take breaks, get distracted or feel burned out, especially when you’re sharing a workspace and managing schoolwork at the same time. The discipline of a new daily schedule, designed around everyone in your family, can help you get back on track.
Follow these scheduling tips to stay productive and make the most of working from home.
1: Commit yourself to a start time.
Start your workday right by settling into your workspace at a set time, just as you would at work. Are you getting up later because you’re not commuting? Don’t do that. Sleeping in, then going straight to your computer will leave you feeing rushed and unable to give your kids the management they need.
Instead, set an alarm and get up at the usual time. Use that extra hour to get your kids organized and get your head in the game over coffee and breakfast.
Smart tip: Schedule your smart thermostat to heat up your bedroom by a couple of degrees just before you wake up. Now you can’t make the excuse that you’re warmer in bed.
2: Get the kids on your schedule too.
Kids are used to a structured schedule with a school day divided into blocks. It’s how they get their work done. Building a schedule for them will keep them accountable, and help them understand what they need to accomplish every day.
Getting the kids working while you or your partner are working will also help you share your space. Ideally, your family should run on a schedule that keeps everyone occupied at the same time, with short breaks for family activities that you can all enjoy together.
3: Work. Break. Repeat.
Stay productive by organizing your day around work blocks that align with your family’s schedule. Before you start your workday, assign a task to each work block and use this as a tracker to stay accountable for getting things done. If planning your day becomes a distraction, do it the evening before.
After each work block, take a quick recess with your kids. That means stepping away from your work area and doing something fun: a quick backyard exercise session, a game, journaling, or a walk around the block. Connect with your kids and give your brains a break from responsibilities. Don’t short-change yourself on breaks: they’re essential for everyone.
Smart tip: If you really can’t take a break with your kids, an outdoor security camera will help you keep up with their outdoor adventures.
4: Don’t stop when work stops.
If your workdays start to drag, or blend into your evenings, don’t barricade yourself into your workspace. Schedule a time to stop, and something to look forward to when the day’s work is done.
Make it something you enjoy: a dance party, crafting or a family movie. If you like to cook, cook together. Plan a game night. If you’re missing friends and loved ones, schedule time to video-chat with them. When the novelty of being home all day wears off, it can be draining.
Staying connected is the key to keeping family and friendships strong. Keep it going and keep it fun.
5: Use technology to save time.
Working from home successfully means cutting down on distractions and saving time where you can. Our technology can help. If you haven’t discovered these Alarm.com features yet, now is the time:
-
- Scenes let you take care of complex tasks with a single Alarm.com command. Use our pre-set Sleep scene at night to lock your doors, turn down your thermostat and arm your security system.
- Video Analytics help you minimize distractions by filtering your home’s video alerts to see only what you need to see. Customize your alerts to see only people, or vehicles, or animals.
- Siri Shortcuts for Alarm.com take your Scenes to the next level with voice-activated commands. Discover how they make life easier here.
