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From managing deadlines to work calls and making sure the kids have everything they need throughout the day, life can get challenging.

Here are some tips on how to balance family and work commitments while working from home during lockdown.

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Working from home with little ones in tow, especially if they’ve got school work they need help with, can be demanding (Photo: Shutterstock)

Set out a routine

Routines can help both you and the kids keep a structured plan throughout the day.

Writing out a schedule and sticking it to the wall or the fridge so that you or the kids can refer to it throughout the day can help to maintain structure and routine.

Be honest with your boss

Be honest with your boss with regards to your working schedule and flexibility.

There may be different hours which suit both you and your boss while you’re working from home, so it could work for both.

Communicate with colleagues

Colleagues will be more than understanding of your current situation, and it’s likely that some of them are working at home with kids too.

If you’re interrupted during a call or think you’ll be delayed slightly on a piece of work, just keep them informed throughout the day.

Communicate with your partner

If you live in a two-parent household discuss your workload to establish how your working days are going to run alongside taking care of your children.

If you are sharing childcare duties with another person, you may be able to agree to a schedule where one watches the kids while another is working, depending on your type of job.

If the working parent is in a different room, you can try and act as if the parent who’s working remotely isn’t at home during their scheduled work shift.

Choose a space as your work zone

It’s harder to do this if you can’t move into a different room, but you can designate a specific area, such as your kitchen table or a chair in your living room, as your work zone and use it consistently.

This helps build the association with your child that when an adult is sitting there, they’re working.

Use stop signs for meetings

Try hanging ‘stop’ signs on your office doors, the wall next to your or on the outside of your laptop to help your kids know that you’re on a video call and that they need to be quiet.

Take the stop sign down after your meeting is over and remove your headphones so that they know it’s ok for them to talk to you again.

Working from home with kids: how to juggle family and work life during lockdown