Tips for working at home with children

The transition from having a desk at the office to a desk at home can be a slightly challenging one.

Pan Macmillan chatted to Miemie du Plessis, their local children’s publisher, who has been at it for years and has developed some golden rules for working from home!

Miemie’s tips for working at home with kids:

When working from home with kids, you will have to be extremely flexible. You will be frequently interrupted – whether it is by the kids or because of having to manage the household – and not one day will be the same. Some days will be good, others not so much. There will be washing and cleaning and dishes and cooking and kids demanding your attention for all kinds of things, big and small. You can scream and shout and explain nicely that mommy has to work and lock yourself in a separate room, but it won’t help. Which means that the best time to work is very early in the morning before they are awake – I start out at five o’clock – and after dinner/bedtime.
When you have an important deadline looming or just need some peace and quiet, ASK FOR HELP. Grandparents or your partner or your siblings (or whoever you are cohabiting with during the lockdown, if possible). Even if this means that you have to work on the weekend because you can only get someone to help you on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ask your kids for help – you will be surprised at how many things they can help with if you allow them.
We are living in an extremely stressful time – it is not and cannot be business as usual. This also means that you have to be kinder to yourself and your family than usual. This will also help to lower the stress levels at home and the lower the stress levels are, the more work you will get done.

Take care!