Long before we became self-employed and League Computer Solutions was born, Dave learned how to stay focused on his work and manage the distractions that exist when working from home with kids.
Dave had his first telecommuting job early on in our marriage, when he worked from home in our small apartment. It was pretty easy for him to stay focused and productive: it was a small place that he had all to himself until I got home from my job.
Throughout his career as a programmer, Dave worked in both traditional, outside offices as well as in positions where he telecommuted. As his jobs and work locations changed and our family grew, Dave found himself working at home with our three children.
Luckily, we were in a bigger home when the kids were small and he was telecommuting, and we were able to designate one of the bedrooms as his office. We taught the girls that if the door was shut, Daddy was working and they couldn’t disturb him.
The great thing for the kids of course, was when he took a break and let them in his office for fun, which often meant just sitting on his lap and pushing the buttons on the keyboard (see photo above). Or even better, when he came out of his office for a few minutes of playtime during a lunch break.
In our current home, we sectioned off part of our 3-car garage for Dave’s office (or his “man-cave”, as he calls it). Sometimes I think he enjoys escaping from the rest of the house and hides out there even if he’s not working. 🙂
It’s not easy to avoid distractions when you are working from home with kids, but here are a few tips that have worked for both of us over the years.
If possible, set up your office in a separate room (with a door). If your office space is in a “family” area, on the other hand, you may be able to designate quiet times, or put in hours before anyone else is up (or after they’ve gone to bed).
If you have kids at home, teach them early on what the rules are during your work hours. Easier said than done with little ones, I know, but it’s worth it to stick with it! Training the pets may be another story…
Set specific and consistent work hours and let your family (and friends) know what they are. Having a firm routine in place helps you stay productive and on schedule.
Reward yourself for sticking to your schedule. One of the benefits of working from home for Dave has been the flexibility to adjust his schedule to our kids’ sports, school activities, and performance schedules. He’s been able to attend so many of their functions over the years because he’s learned how to focus on completing his necessary projects on time/ahead of time so he can take a break for family time.
I think some of his favorite activities were the ones where he was one of the few dads to accompany the girls on their many school field trips. Sometimes, he was the only dad on the trip and was subsequently put in charge of the boys in the class. 🙂
As our kids got older, distractions and schedules weren’t as big an issue, the house got a bit quieter; and now as we approach an empty nest next Fall, the challenge of finding a quiet place to work won’t be an issue at all. But I think Dave still plans on keeping his man-cave…
About Terry League