How to Juggle Work With School Holidays: A Parent's Guide

It’s exciting for the kids when the last bell of the year rings and school is officially out for the summer! It’s great to spend more time with your children, going on a break somewhere, and not doing early morning school runs. But for the parents that work from home, it can mean a lot of distraction and less work getting finished. There are ways to get the best of both worlds; finding time to be productive while balancing your home life. Whether looking for a small office space for rent or creating a schedule - we give some ideas on how you can have the best of both worlds! 

Set yourself realistic expectations

Trying to juggle it all is hard so, rather crucially, cut yourself some slack. Be truthful about what you can do given your new schedule so that you don’t set yourself up for failure and instead focus on what you know you can achieve.

Assess your family’s needs and create a schedule 

Depending on how old your kids are you will have different times you can be productive. For babies and toddlers, nap times are a great time to get some work done, while with teenagers morning might be the best. Look at your schedule, who can help to support you, and if there are any external resources such as babysitters or nurseries who can assist you to create a reasonable schedule.

Set clear boundaries

Once you have your schedule set, it's best to communicate your work times so you can work undisturbed. Of course, there are unforeseen circumstances when you can’t stick to your usual timings, but by creating boundaries you will get into the rhythm of work time and home time. If you’re finding that there are too many distractions at home you could look for office space in Houston so you can slip away at set times.

Prioritize your most important tasks

Days with children can be unpredictable at times, so it’s best to create a list of work and get the most important done first. There are ways that you can assess the tasks you should get done first: 

• By deadline: Which of your tasks is the most time-sensitive? By starting on work that has a swift turnaround, you can ease some of the pressure on you when you want some free time.
• By labor intensity: Is there a task on your to-do list that requires focus? Depending on your schedule, you may want to do the work that will need a lot more concentration first as your energy might wain throughout the day. Also, by completing the most tricky work at the beginning of your work day you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that will help to keep you motivated.

Find a space for video calls

Zoom became the method of communication du jour during the pandemic and has remained mainstream as remote and hybrid working have become popular. For these calls it's important to have a quiet space - we’ve all seen those videos of kids and pets disrupting important online meetings! If you can’t find an area at home you could look for a small office space for rent or a meeting room temporarily. If you opt for external office space in Houston look for fast and secure wifi, focus rooms, and a few perks such as unlimited coffee and daily snacks like we have at The Square.

Find activities for the kids

Keeping the children occupied is a great strategy for improving your own productivity. It could be as simple as setting up a treasure hunt around your house or an art project that doesn’t need continuous supervision. The more fun for them, the more you can find some pockets of time for yourself! 

Communicate your situation with your manager 

If you’re working remotely within a department, your manager or team lead can help with your workload when they understand your daily commitments so don’t be afraid of reaching out. They may be able to arrange meetings around your schedule and plan contingencies. Your HR department may also have some initiatives that support parents working at home.

Find office space for rent in Houston 

Of course, not every home is conducive to a productive working environment during the summer holidays. When you’re tight on space, another option is to find a small office space for rent. Doing this will give you the focus time you need to get through your work and add structure to your day. The Square is offering weekly private office space in Houston so you don’t have to worry about long contracts or sharing coworking spaces. Alternatively, you could book meeting rooms by the hour to take your important online meetings and make phone calls undisturbed.

We have a number of amenities that will support you throughout your work time, from a suite of business tools and on-site teams to artisanal coffee and daily breakfast. Book a tour or get in touch for more information!