Working From Home With Family
“The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of the trial and in the exaltation after the combat” (St. Padre Pio).
“The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of the trial and in the exaltation after the combat” (St. Padre Pio).
It's been four and a half weeks.
I have now been working from home, practicing social distancing, for four and a half weeks. As an extrovert, it has caused some challenges for me. I crave human interaction and pine for the day I can step out of my house and actually go visit friends.
The catch is, I’m with people all day. I have my husband and son at home with me, which is a real blessing. It is also very difficult at times.
Before social distancing was our norm, I worked from home about one or two days a week. My son was home with me, and we had a good routine down. The difference now is we are at home all of the time, along with my husband, who is also working from home.
We’ve had our ups and downs, and we’ve learned quite a bit along the way. During a time that can feel exceptionally overwhelming, here are a few things we’ve implemented that may help as you navigate working from home with kids and a spouse:
Lessen Distractions With Boundaries
Working at home during an international pandemic is wildly different than working from home normally. On top of the normal distractions we have when working from home, we are dealing with more people in our homes at one given time and a lot of anxiety that we have never had to deal with.
If things aren’t going well in your efforts to work from home, set some boundaries for everyone in the house. Make sure everyone in the house knows the preferred workspace not only of you and your spouse but also any kids who may be doing schoolwork. Make sure everyone is respectful of those spaces, whether it’s an office or the kitchen table.
Be Flexible With Your Breaks
Something that has helped break up the would-be mundane new work routine is taking shorter breaks more often.
I make sure that as long as I can still finish my work, I have time to throw a load of laundry in the washing machine or put our dinner in the crockpot. Be flexible, and give yourself breaks when you need it.
Take advantage of this very unique time you have with your family, and have everyone in the house pause every day to eat lunch together. Or, maybe you’d prefer to take a quick family walk with the dog around the block. This time is an opportunity to be creative with the space — and the people — around you.
Include Kids in Your Workspace
It sounds counterproductive, but our kids — no matter their age — are dealing with their own struggles, anxieties, and disruptions from their own routines. They are missing their friends, their teachers or their daycare providers.
While it may seem easier to keep your workspace cornered off from kids to eliminate their disruptions, they also are wanting your attention now that you’re home. Bring quiet toys into your workspace, and let your kids feel like they’re part of your day. You’ll be able to share a unique moment with them while doing some work.
Communicate Everyone’s Schedules
My husband and I both take regular conference calls and video meetings throughout the day, which could land us in simultaneous meetings while our two-year-old runs rampant around the house.
Early on, we started sharing our meeting schedules with each other the night before. My job is more flexible than my husband’s, so if we have a meeting at the same time, I can move it back an hour. This strategy is especially important if you have kids who are doing school at home. Make sure everyone in the house knows when someone will be on a call, taking a test, or watching a video course.
Remember You Are Doing Your Best
When we started social distancing a few weeks ago (has it only been a few weeks?), I had some grand ideas of what I would do with all my time at home. I was going to bake bread, organize all of the closets in my house, paint our bathroom, and start reading more.
I quickly learned I may have been a bit ambitious with my plans. Instead of conquering a to-do list, I’ve unintentionally felt the mom-guilt more than once as I’ve turned on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for my son or asked my husband to turn the volume down on his Zoom call, just so I could get some emails sent.
This is new ground for you, for your family, and even for your work. When the guilt or anxiety start to sink in, remember that this situation will not last forever. Remember that you are doing your best in a situation that is by no means normal.
Remember We Are the Domestic Church
Recently, Archbishop Vigneron of the Archdiocese of Detroit came out with 10 “guideposts” for Christians living during a pandemic. In one of them, he says, “now is the hour of the domestic Church.” He shares that during these chaotic times, our family is where we experience the Word of God like we may never have before.
It feels like I’m in a crash course on family life, relearning what it means for my husband and I to be spiritual leaders, spiritual educators as well as workers.
The domestic Church, our family, is where we can change the world. Let’s relearn what it means to bring Christ into our homes and our daily routine. When this is all over, the strength of our families — our domestic Church — will be even stronger.
If you’re like me and want to throw out your lists of big projects and accomplish just one goal during this time of quarantine, focus on your family as the domestic Church. It will look different for every family, but let’s ask Christ to change us, our families, and our work.
Annie Schunior is a copy writer and communications specialist working for the Catholic Church in the city of Detroit. In addition, she does consulting for non-profits and online ministries as well as some freelance writing. Most days, Annie can be found with coffee in hand, toting around her 2 year old son or exploring the beautiful city of Detroit with her family. You can follow her on Instagram at @annie_schuns.