Tools that keep me sane as a work-from-home mom
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Another summer break has arrived, which means I have my minions home with me all day, every day.
I’ll be honest–working from home with kids isn’t easy. More often than not, they make appearances during my Zoom meetings, beg for snacks just as I’m in a productive groove, or fight with each other the second I need to make a phone call.
Still, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As a remote worker for nearly nine years now, I am a master of adjusting the routine as needed. Having the right setup that works for you is vital to thriving as a WFH parent.
Here are a few of my favorite products that make working from home so much easier:
Temperature-Controlled Coffee
Because coffee is always the number-one item that keeps me sane.
In full transparency, I don’t actually have this smart mug yet, but I’ve had my eye on it for a while. I need it. Any work-from-home parent understands this struggle: a fresh cup of joe, just the right amount of creamer, and then…someone spills a cup of milk. Then the baby needs a diaper change. Then the oldest needs their third snack of the morning. Then the youngest somehow managed to pull down the flour from the cupboard. By the time you sit down…the coffee is cold.
This smart mug may not clean up the messes, but at least it keeps your coffee warm! Who likes microwaved coffee anyway? I also love that this one comes with a travel lid!
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2
No Desk? No Problem!
As a military family that moves every 2-3 years, I don’t always have a dedicated office space in our home. After our last move, we didn’t even have room in our home for my desk at all! Working at the dining table was boring after some time, so I bought this lap desk and cup holder tray that allows me to sit comfortably on my couch, coffee within reach, feet up…you get the picture. Pure bliss.
Keep Track of your To-Dos
Sure, there are lots of digital tools nowadays for managing to-do lists, reminders, and taking notes. We actually use Asana to manage tasks as a team at work, but I like the good ol’ pen and paper for keeping me on track every day. It’s therapeutic to time block my day, creating a visual for exactly how much time I spend working and taking breaks to be with my kids.
I love this particular to-do list because it has a space for notes and your top three priorities for the day. During my husband’s last deployment, making a daily goal of three things I wanted to accomplish made me feel productive, even if that was the only thing I’d managed to do that day.
Amazon Fire Kids Tablet + Pro Tablet
As much as we try to avoid it, the kids still want some screen time. At least with the Amazon Fire Kids tablet, I know that (most) of what they’re playing is high-quality, including loads of books and learning games. If it means I can get 30 minutes of work done, and they’re having fun learning, I’m all for it.
The best part? My kids love the autonomy of being able to pick and choose the apps they download, while I feel confident that they only have access to safe and age-appropriate content under my parental settings. I am able to adjust content settings for each of the boys by their age group, too.
Kindle Fire 7 Kids • Want to go pro? Upgrade to Fire HD 10 Kids.
Educational Fun for the Kids
Of course, there’s always hands-on learning, too. Rotating different types of activities keeps my kids interested, and they are typically happy to sit beside me at the table and practice in their workbooks for a little while. Seriously, the boys are my tiny coworkers, and it helps reduce the mom guilt when we are sharing the same space. These are just a few examples of quiet activities your kids can do beside you while you work.
My First Learn-to-Write Workbook
Handwriting Practice Books
Scissor Skills Preschool Activity Book
Counting Dinosaurs
NumberBlocks Mathlink Cubes
Happy shopping!
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