Ways to Eliminate Distractions When You’re Working From Home 

Although there are many good things about working from home, there is one big problem that can be hard to get past. There are many distractions you’ll face. Whether it’s from other people in the house with you or the fact that you’re at home and can see other tasks that need to be done, the problem can affect your productivity and happiness. Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to stop this from being such an issue. Read on to find out more about how to work from home with kids.

Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom

As a homeschooling mom, I have had jobs both inside the house and have also left the house for an office job. One of the significant advantages for work-from-home parents is that you may not have to worry about child care, especially if you have one or more older kids that can help with the kids when you are working. While you don’t want to use screen time when you are working to distract your kids, there are creative ways to deal with the kids. But for this article, we will discuss how to work from home with kids and eliminate the distractions you will face.

WORK FROM HOME WITH KIDS – IDEAS FOR ELIMINATING DISTRACTIONS:

Wear Noise-Canceling Headphones 

Invest in noise-canceling headphones to get rid of distractions. This may seem like a simple thing to do, but it’s one of the best ways to focus on your work and block out all the other noise around you.

Many kinds of headphones block out noise, so you’ll be able to find one that works for you. You can wear them for hours without experiencing any discomfort, and they do block out all other noise.

Additionally, you may not be able to hear noise. The added benefit is that many headphones help to block noises, so customers, clients, and anyone on the other end of the phone isn’t distracted.

Have a Set Work Schedule

One of the best ways to eliminate distractions while you work is to have a set schedule. If you work from 10-2, you can tell friends and family that you are not taking calls. Furthermore, a set schedule allows you to say “NO” to all the volunteer opportunities that will come up when people hear that you are working from home.

While the last few years have seen more people working from home with kids, and the always working from home crowd has now become more legitimate, you will still get phone calls about “making a cake for a funeral dinner” or “can you help just this one time during Bible study?” If you have set hours, it is easy to simply decline.

I have always maintained the attitude of being interruptable. However, it has cost my family lost finances. Take it from me, set a work schedule, and stick to it when you work from home with kids.

If possible, design your schedule around quiet time or nap time for the kids.

Schedule Family Time

If you fail to have a complete schedule, work will encroach on your family life. Having a daily plan where you include important tasks and have set work hours and family hours will enable you to find a happy work-life balance. It will be easier to eliminate distractions while you are working if you know that in 2 hours, your work day is finished. Set boundaries for work and family time.

It may be necessary to take an important call or video call once in a while during off hours, especially if the job requires flexible hours, but it is imperative to have a home life separate from your work life.

Be Comfortable 

If you’ve been working from home for a while, you probably already have a comfortable and ergonomic setup that lets you get everything done without ruining your posture. If you’ve just started working from home or it’s meant to be temporary, you might not have this organized yet. And while working in the living room on the couch with your laptop on a coffee table or set up at the kitchen table might be fine for a while, you’ll feel the effects sooner or later.

Ideally, you would buy a high-quality office chair and desk, but that might be too expensive. In this case, make sure you choose a straight-backed chair and add some cushions. As long as the desk or table you are using is at the right height, you should be able to work comfortably.

Set Up a Home Office if Possible

My biggest challenge in working from home is that I do not have a dedicated workspace. A separate home office is the best scenario. This ensures that your work tasks are done in the office and not all over the house.

Get A Cleaner 

You may find yourself distracted because there is a lot of housework to do. Furthermore, you can’t focus on your work while you know the dishes need to be done and the vacuum needs to be used. This can cause you to lose productivity quickly. The problem is that if you’re meant to be working, you shouldn’t be doing the housework. However, by the time you’re done with work, you might be too tired to clean up, so the problem never ends. 

This is where hiring experts such as Highland Park Housekeeping will be helpful. While you do your work, they can do theirs, and you won’t have to worry about the housework anymore, allowing you to focus on being productive. 

Have Different Work Areas 

Having more than one place to work is the best way to avoid getting distracted. So, if you have a family or young children and work from home, you can always move from one place to another if one part of the house is louder.

Unless Social Media is Use for Work – Delete It Off Your Phone

One way we get distracted and lose track of time is by jumping on social media “real quick.” So much time is then sucked into the social media vortex. Even though my “work-from-home job” is social media, I try to set times of the day when I post and check my accounts. Otherwise, I will find myself endlessly scrolling.

Pay for Child Care

While I have been homeschooling for many, many years, there were times when I paid for someone to come into my home to watch the kids so I could get work done. Working from home with kids is hard. However, having a neighborhood teenager play board games with the kids or take care of younger kids while you work ensures you have uninterrupted work time. This allows you to be fully in work mode.

Furthermore, paying for child care means you will have peace of mind while you work, knowing that the children are taken care of.

Consider Working at Night When the Kids are Asleep

When the kids are sleeping, background noise will be at a minimum. At night, the house seems quieter, and this could be the perfect time to work from home. When all else fails, working when the kids sleep will help you eliminate distractions during the day. There will be no phone calls from friends and no Amazon deliveries to distract you, and it’s a great way to get a lot of work done without you feeling like you have abandoned your entire family.

If you do this, each area must have a good table and chair; as mentioned above, a sofa or bed isn’t the most productive place to work. If you have a desk you can move from place to place – or even something as simple as a fold-up tray table – you can easily deal with this issue. Keep in mind work from home with kids can make a difference in your life, but it is crucial to make a to-do list and keep work times on that list.