With the coronavirus pandemic continuing, many parents who work from home are still struggling to find that healthy balance between work and family life. For parents whose children will continue online learning, the balancing act becomes even more arduous. However, you don’t have to suffer through it all. Below, find helpful strategies for staying on top of everything with your mental health intact.

Find Routines That Work for Everyone 

Without structure in your days, it’s hard to keep yourself on task and keep your family engaged with meaningful activities. Establishing a routine can reduce interruptions to your workday and help everything go more smoothly.

• Establish a school schedule for days your kids need to complete their coursework.
• You may find it helps to make lunches ahead of time to destress your days.
• Scheduling in brain breaks can help you and your kids get reenergized.
• Maintaining consistent bedtimes is as important as ever for providing structure.

Keep the Kids Engaged 

Even with a routine, it’s important to provide a variety of activities for your children to reduce interruptions from your work. Here are a few ideas.

• Independent playtime gives you a break and is good for your child’s development.
• You may find it’s necessary to relax your screen time rules on your work days.
• Buying kid-friendly mobile accessories will ensure screen time is safe.
• If your kids continue online learning, use online resources to keep them engaged.

Establish Good Work Habits

Getting your kids to stay on track with school and have meaningful playtime is just part of the equation. You’ll also have to find methods that help you stay on task with work without it taking over your personal life.

• Keep in mind your workday habits will differ based on your children’s ages.
• Use organization and productivity tools to stay on track with your responsibilities.
• If you can, do your work in a separate area of the house.
• Find ways to unplug and disconnect from work when you’re done for the day.

Ask for Help 

As a parent, many household responsibilities naturally fall to you. Staying on top of housework and family issues is sometimes overwhelming on your own, and that’s okay. These methods can help ease the burden.

• Divide household chores among your family members rather than doing it all alone.
• It’s okay to hire someone to help with housekeeping tasks you can’t complete yourself.
• If your family is struggling to cope, don’t be afraid to seek out teletherapy.

Even if your family has gotten used to the new norm, navigating the COVID-19 pandemic may continue to be a challenge. Balancing work, life, and your family by yourself can feel downright impossible, but you don’t have to do it alone. Getting everyone on a schedule, setting healthy boundaries with work, and getting help when you need it will make it easier to ride out the pandemic together.

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