Remote Work (With Kids) Essentials — Regina Of Tech
Remote work will be widely implemented in varying degrees in the near future. Some employers will have a “virtual” workforce where no one comes into the office, while others may have designated days that employees need to be on site.
In 2020, 33% of the workforce are exclusively remote and ~55% work from home half of the week. Remote work will be the norm in the future and having a place that you can productively work is essential with the changing arrangements.
To work remote, you only truly need 4 elements:
- Internet connection
- Proper computer set up
- Notebook, pens, pencils
- Desk and supportive chair
That’s it! Of course, each of these have a varying degree of interpretation freedom. So, lets go ahead and go over the 4 remote working essentials. At the end there will be tips on how to work remotely with kids.
Internet Connection
This one is pretty simple. Have adequate internet connection. Your internet will need to be able to allow quick communication to your coworkers and/or supervisor, adequate upload and download speeds, and whatever else you may need for your job.
However, If your internet speed is not what is needed there are other options. You could go to the library when you need to do anything that will bog down the connection, go to Starbucks and grab a cup of coffee, or McDonald’s. There are options to get the connection that you need without increasing your plan or if you live out in the middle of no where and you already have the “high speed” option.
Proper Computer Set Up
This depends on your job and preference of setup. For example, if you are a programmer you may need a dual monitor set up and a tower that can handle the intense computational requirements. If you do not want a monitor and lean towards location freedom, a laptop will be your set up. Either way, the computer needs to match what your job requirements are.
When you are looking for a computer, be sure to do your research!! Nothing is more frustrating than buying a computer after a sales person tells you that a certain program will work on it and then it doesn’t! Save yourself the time, frustration, and money by doing the research for the minimum requirements on a computer.
Notebooks, Pens, Pencils
Yes, paper and pens/pencils are essential for remote work. If you are working on a laptop and need to make a note then having another means besides clicking away on your keyboard is needed. Especially if you are in a meeting using your computer. The other side will be able to hear your fingers tapping away on the board, which can be distracting but also make it seem like you are not focused on the meeting.
Having a silent means to take notes is essential for remote work. It also helps when you are engrossed in research and switching between a word doc and a browser can be annoying. Do yourself a favor and have a notebook and pen/pencil around you at all times.
Desk and Supportive Chair
This could be the conventional desk and swivel chair in a designated room or a table and chair at your local Starbucks. Just make sure that what you are sitting on and at is comfortable and will allow you to zone in to your work for hours at a time. Nothing is more annoying or uncomfortable than sitting at a table and finding out that the chair makes your butt go numb and your upper back is screaming at you. Then you have to get up and find another place taking time from your work and creating new distractions in your body with the pains.
When you first start remote work, figuring out what works best for you is a learning curve. Take the time to try out different environments. Take the opportunity that small tasks/projects give you and go to another location to see how it goes. Not all tables, desks, and chairs are created equal. Some have lumbar support and others don’t.
Remote Working With Kids
These next few remote work essentials are for the working parents along with the core 4 above. Having that goal and drive to not place your children in daycare is something that should be supported. However, with that there come some necessary precautions so that you can work productively and effectively with limited distractions. These essentials are with toddlers and older in mind. Please do what is best for you and your children. Babies are a different beast because they are very dependent on their parents. Once a child starts to have a level of independence, it does become easier to work without a child in your arms.
These essentials have been tested by me and my 2 under 5 years old kids.
A Second Chair
Grab a kitchen chair or folding chair and place it in a corner where you will be working that works best for you. The purpose of this chair is for your kid(s) to sit if they need you. If they have a question or want to tell you something, they come over to the chair and sit down to see what you are doing. If you are talking to someone or deep into a project they can see that and decide if they want to wait for you to finish or leave you alone.
The chair gives them a chance to figure out if what they need is really important, learn to respect other’s time, and patience. This also makes them feel acknowledged, heard, and seen. Having another chair in your work area to a supervisor having extra chairs in their office. There to be used, but normally sit empty. Just allows the option for your kids to talk to your without distracting you and potentially causing an argument.
This set up has worked 90% of the time. However, with younger kids they are very much into their emotions so they will run to you screaming. After some practice though, they will start to use the chair instead of disrupting you.
Easily Accessible Snacks
Having snacks easily accessibly by your kids will lower the number of interruptions that you will get. Kids are hungry all the time, but when you are working remote having snacks that you are comfortable with them eating unsupervised is a great trick. I like to have fruits for the kids to grab. Such as bananas, apples, tangerines. Only give snacks to your kids that are appropriate for them. What is OK for my kids to eat may not be alright for yours.
Quiet Toys
Imagine you are on the verge of a breakthrough and “Let It Go” from Frozen starts to play. That song will stay in your head for hours! Before you start working for the day, try to limit the number of loud toys that will be played with. If there are some that do not bother you, Great! Let them keep those, but any toys that you know will be distracting and play songs that will be stuck in your head need to go. Of course, be sure that they still have toys to play with. Having some movies and TV shows to watch is always a handy activity to have when all else fails.
Thank you for reading remote working essentials! I really hope that this helped you get ready for your own remote working venture with and without kids.
Until we learn again,
Originally published at https://reginaoftech.com on March 13, 2020.