Working Part-time And Juggling Family Responsibilities: 7 Tips For Stay At Home Parents

Ever since the covid-19 pandemic, so many companies and individuals have taken up remote and part time means to get their business operations going.

Many parents who find themselves in this position have been able to devise a balance between their work responsibilities and family needs. But others haven’t been able to get a grasp on managing their workflow at home, especially around their children. 

Parents who take up part time jobs singapore or other parts of the world, try to create a work-life balance, achieve professional growth, and produce maximum results on their jobs amidst their kids. 

However, this can be tricky to handle because it’s like carrying out two responsibilities at once, firstly as a parent, ensuring that the needs of your kids are met, and the other, as an employee or a freelancer, trying to beat deadlines and be a lot more productive.

To assist you in creating a functional balance between family and work responsibilities, we have carefully put together this article with some efficient tips to enable you to scale through both aspects of life, let’s take a look,

7 Tips For Stay At Home Parents

• Accept The Phase: 

It is crucial that you learn and accept that just like many things in life, parenting is a phase. 

This phase will pass, kids will grow up, and they’d also move out but all of this happens with time and requires patience until then, accept that they are kids and parenting is part of your role in their lives.

• Quit Multitasking: 

Generally, multitasking enables you to achieve several outcomes while carrying out different activities at once. 

However, multitasking can take a toll on your brain and this is almost inevitable when you are working part time and do not have a housekeeper or babysitter to handle your kids.

For example, when you have work to do and your kids also have homework which has to be done with your assistance and guidance, do not try to juggle both of them. 

Take it one at a time, be actively present during homework hours, and when you’re cooking, just cook. Focus on one activity without bringing work into it, it will make you feel more at ease.

• Decide To Drop Something: 

No matter how much you try and what the self-help books say, you can’t do it all. You might even break down or mess something up along the line, but you can have the necessary things, those that are more important to you.

Therefore, you should select your priorities yourself and bring them forward. Choose something that you are willing to be flexible on, it will enhance your productivity without ruining anything. 

You can also use this means to get the kids (if they are up to age) to do some simple house chores, like taking out their laundry and cleaning their rooms, you can also forfeit cooking on some days and order takeout.

Whatever you choose to let go, ensure it makes you feel relaxed so that you can focus more on what matters.

• Set Up Your Home Office: 

This doesn’t mean that the kids should be shut out of the room but some restrictions can be put in place. However, kids will always be kids so here’s what you have to do. 

 If you are at the advantage of a remote job that allows you to pick your own work hours, set up your home office and schedule those work hours keeping in mind the kids routine as well. 

If they nap by 12 or are at school during the day, or a period when they are less active, choose your work hours within those times.

However, if your work requires you to be active at a particular time, create your home office in a way that doesn’t excite the kids. 

For instance, fix a room or corner where there is no television or the distance between the television and your office is beyond hearing and visual reach. This will keep them away. 

In addition, ensure that the room is comfortable enough for you. You can get a flower, candles or coffee mugs, or anything that soothes your nerves, and place it on your work desk or somewhere around your office where you can easily see and admire it.

• Do not be hard on yourself: 

Applaud yourself for everything you try out both the failures and the wins. Release the tension and breath in fresh air, let the guilt and anxiety of not being in charge of things as you used to, leave with the tension. 

During your workday, take a few minutes to speak to yourself. Positive affirmations have a way of boosting our confidence but that’s not where it ends. 

Ask yourself questions. Are you treating yourself as you would a friend who makes an effort or are you constantly lingering on the self-criticism? 

Are you giving yourself enough credit and support as you would a loved one or is it because it is you and everything has to be perfect? 

Take a midday nap and get extra sleep, keep a bottle of water next to remind you to stay hydrated. Do not forfeit self-care.

We can’t always have things our way but understanding and applauding every little effort we make is a key step to getting better.

Working part time with kids brings different challenges and you’re doing the best you can to pull through.

• Step Out Once In A While: 

One disadvantage of part time jobs is that you may find yourself staying indoors more than usual, even up to a week or sometimes, months. A change of pace and surroundings can be beneficial in so many ways.

Coming in contact with the rays of the sun can boost your mood and energy which is what you need to work, a better mood and more energy enhance productivity.

Take time off to enjoy a mid-day walk, you can even take your kids along to spend time in the park and while doing that, try as much as possible to stay off your phone. 

You can also add it to your family schedule. This will keep you off work and also strengthen your bond with your kids.

In addition, take some time off both parenting and work. Validate your alone time and use this period to meditate in the park, looking at nature and inhaling fresh air.

• Seek Help: 

Turning to older family members like your grandparents or your parents, or speaking with your spouse can get you as much support as you need to keep going. 

For example, you can ask a loved one or your spouse to assist you on some days by driving your kids to school or keeping them entertained while you’re at a Zoom meeting.

You can speak with your parents to let the kids spend a few days with them but if that is not feasible, check the possibility of getting professional help. You can hire  a babysitter  or housekeeper to reduce your workload.

The Bottom Line

Creating a balance between part time jobs and family responsibilities is achievable by anyone. As a parent, your kids will get to see the parent side of you and the work side which they may have known before. 

They will learn to adapt to the times when you’re working, and also learn to let you during those times as well. Furthermore, getting the help of family members can boost the bond and communication between your  extended family and your kids. 

Using the tips as stated in this article and the support or advice you get while seeking help, will make it easier for you. You will be able to handle your household responsibilities and enhance your productivity, resilience as well as growth in your work life.