Hey there! Victoria here -
I wanted to write this post because I began working remotely over 20 years ago. I worked at home before it was really a big thing, and I not only was an executive assistant for VP of sales of a nationwide company, but I also taught piano lessons. I’ve done every form of remote and virtual assisting as well as expanding the piano studio into training center for piano, voice, theory, composition and ongoing classes for homeschoolers including Music Theory, Music Appreciation & History, Chemistry in Cooking, Cooking classes and Composition. I’ve had to juggle home life and family life for so long, I thought I’d pass on a few of my non-negotiables to hopefully help you as you make some adjustments over the next few weeks.
1. Get up earlier.
Seriously. Get as much done as you can before the crew wakes up and needs to eat. And trust me they are going to want to eat all day long. We have homeschooled for more than eleven years. You will be feeling like a short order cook! I know make it a regular practice to get up at 5am each morning. I get a lot done before it’s time to rise and shine so to speak. It’s important for me to spend time reading God’s Word and praying, enjoying my coffee and quiet time every morning. It helps me start my day well.
2. Go to bed earlier.
If you are going to get up earlier, you really have to get to bed at a reasonable time. I know you might think you can keep working, but burning the candle at both ends doesn’t usually turn out to well. Our best work happens when we are rested and fresh. In order for you to get to bed at a reasonable hour, you will need to make the kids stay on a normal bedtime schedule as well. Don’t think of this time as an extended vacation. Rather keep on track just like you normally would, but make sure you get yourself to bed too.
3. Take advantage of downtimes.
When they are busy snacking, eating meals, naps, or do an activity that will occupy them for some time, go ahead and jump in to some of those “to-do’s” that build up throughout the day. Write them down so you can jump in and work through them as you see they are busy and working.
4. Give them tasks to complete.
Just because they are normally at school doesn’t mean the kids get out of all work. This is a great time for the family to come together and take on some of the chores that sometimes get missed when things are so busy. Have them clean up their room/playroom, organize legos or other play items, and help collect sports gear and other equipment and organize it. Give them other projects to do like color, art, music, and computer games. Many, many places are giving away their resources for free during this time.
5. Have your work items in a separate space and keep the important stuff up high.
This is important for your sanity. I learned early on that Sharpie markers were magnets for my son. We had to remove them completely for a time because he would color everything including his own body with them when he was little. Sometimes he would go right up to my desk and swish every piece of paper across the top and knock it all on the floor. Ugh! So you have to make sure that when you walk away from your work area to remove all the things and place them higher so they can’t be reached.