Whether kids are at home because of a major weather issue, going home sick the day before, or even because of unusual circumstances (e.g., daycare was closed unexpectedly or your nanny had an emergency), there will be times when kids are home and you still need to get work done as a working mom or dad. It happens. Now what? I’ve got 7 tips to help you stay productive when kids are home when you didn’t expect it.
Tip #1: Plan your time
Yes, this is another reason to plan your week (I prefer to do this as one of my final steps each weekend) and then take time each night to plan the next day. I get that you might not do that, though. So, take 10-15 minutes ASAP to figure out what you need to accomplish today. Be ruthless with your schedule.
Chances are that other colleagues are in the same boat and doing the same thing. Know what you absolutely must accomplish in the days when kids are home.
Proactively plan your priorities and schedule time. Remove anything that is not a deadline today or tomorrow. And send out emails or texts to let people know that you’re moving things around. Give them an idea of when to expect whatever isn’t a priority today. If you need to have a quick team meeting to reprioritize as a group, give people a set time to do that. Try to give the team a bit of notice so that people can recalibrate and move things around before you meet. You want a productive meeting where you can make decisions as needed. You don’t want a bunch of “I don’t knows” where people need to follow up. It might even make more sense to meet mid-day once the team has had time to get things done.
One final step here. Before you jump into your day, have a conversation with your significant other. Know when you can each cover sections of the day as needed (e.g., who will make lunch, or puts does the naptime routine with kids still napping, etc.). And decide when your day will wrap up.
Tip #2: Break all tasks and projects into smaller bites
It’s often helpful to break everything down into 10-15-minute bites since that is much more manageable with what is likely a choppy day, filled with interruptions from kids. And prioritize your 10-15-minute tasks. Start working on those small things and you’ll make progress. You’ll get things done over time instead of feeling like you’re not getting anything done.
Tip #3: Consider how you work
At the office or when you work without kids at home, you might have stretches of time to focus and get things done. When you have to work with kids at home, you might be struggling with a lot more interruptions. Time blocking or batching may no longer work. Consider the Pomodoro technique, where you work 25-minute work blocks + 5-minute breaks. After a few rotations, you get a 15-minute break. The big trick is to plan for the 25-minute and 5-minute increments to truly maximize your time.
Use a timer to let kids know when you’ll be available for the 5-minute break. And plan that break. For example, “You can show me your picture when the timer goes off.”
Naptime hustle
If kids are napping, the naptime hustle is a real thing. Specifically plan what you’ll do during that uninterrupted time. This might be a great time for strategic work because you can focus. Or know which 10-15-minute tasks you’ll work on. Don’t sit down and figure it out once your child goes down for a nap. It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you do that. You want to start working the minute you’re back from putting your baby, toddler, sick child down for a nap. It can be the difference between getting one more thing done or not. (This is part of why creating a plan for the next day can be so helpful. Use that time to set up your goals for the nap time hustle and decide which tasks you’ll work on.)
The one thing I don’t recommend you do during this time is to make calls. What if your child goes down late or wakes up early? You never know what can happen during this time frame. The ideal time to make calls is when you can have someone watch your child (e.g., your significant other or even a mother’s helper who is also home from school). If you decide to use a mother’s helper, it goes without saying that you don’t want to expose other kids to a sick child.
Tip #4: Prepare for time blocks
A key aspect to getting work done with kids at home when you didn’t expect it is preparing for time blocks. Instead of interrupting your day to prep lunch for everyone, do it when you’re making breakfast. Embrace simple lunch options. Put aside snacks that you approve of for your kids. Work with your significant other to know when you can each be interrupted. Decide how you will let kids know when you can be interrupted because you still want them to access you if there is an emergency (e.g., someone is bleeding or something is broken (a glass, not LEGOs)). The timer on your oven is a great tool to help block time for kids, so they can hear it and so can you.
Tip #5: Wake up early
Sometimes you know kids will be home the next day. If that is the case, wake up early. It can be tempting to sleep in. Don’t. You’ll have uninterrupted time to get strategic work done before your household is awake. Even an extra 30 or 45 minutes before everyone else gets up can make a difference and ensure you meet your most important deadlines.
Some kids wake up so early that it’s too hard to wake up any earlier. I get it. This idea won’t work for everyone, and that’s OK.
Tip #6: Be flexible
You might need to move things around. Your older child may need help with an assignment so that they can keep going on their work. Maybe your child naps earlier or later than usual. You might have moments when your small children need more of your attention. Or it could be that your small child is at home sick and you need to care for him or her throughout the day.
This is another reason that breaking things down into smaller bites (10-15 minute tasks) can be helpful. It’s easier to work in small moments, even ones you didn’t expect, and continue to be productive.
Tip #7: Create a Yes List for Kids
What is acceptable today? Consider the specific snacks they can eat if you don’t set them aside. Talk about the actual time for snacks. What shows can they watch and for how long? Write it all down for older kids to take ownership. They will feel empowered and you’ll have less interruptions.
Let AI help you. For example, tell AI to set an alarm when time is up for watching TV. Or it can help you manage all the Yes items on the list.
Activities to keep kids busy
- Build a fort. My kids loved building forts when they were younger. OK, so they still do this on occasion. Yes, they made a mess, but empower them to clean it up (or at least help if they are little).
- Bubbles! What young child doesn’t love bubbles? Pro tip: buy a big bottle and only fill little containers so you don’t have a mess on your hands.
- Puzzles. You can find age-appropriate ones, starting at about age 3. They are great for children’s development. This one also takes some preplanning since you need to find a puzzle. You can sometimes find these in your local buy-nothing groups. I will admit I find this helpful with stress management as well. I slow down and focus on what’s in front of me instead of all the other stuff that’s going on.
- Embrace clean up time. You can help, but they must lead. Find a song online for younger kids or make it fun for older kids. Race to clean up. Time them. Or give them a specific time to clean up (e.g., what can you clean up in 10 minutes?) to get things started.
You’ve got 7 tips to help you get work done with kids at home when you didn’t expect it. What would you add to this list to help you stay productive? What helps you?
Looking for more practical tips to help you maximize your time, effort, and energy as a working mom? Grab your copy of The Mompowerment Guide to Work-life Balance(affiliate link), which has loads of practical tips you can start using now.
