Making Working from Home Work for You

With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, many more of us are working from home, and finding it brings new challenges such as having children under foot, creating a workable work space, and avoiding distractions. Here are a few tips to help with these issues.

Children: Set up a desk or desks for each child near your own desk. That way they can complete homework assignments or work on crafts such as coloring while still being nearby. When they aren’t “working” at their desks, you might consider using noise cancelling headphones to help maintain concentration while they play, watch TV, etc.

Workspace: If you are going to be working from home long term, invest in a real desk and some bins or other storage for office supplies. Set up your workspace in a room where you can dedicate either the entire room or a specific measurable portion of the room for work purposes. This will allow you to claim a home office deduction on your taxes.

Distractions: It is easy for household chores to creep into your workday when they are staring you in the face. Create a schedule that includes defined breaks of 15 or 30 minutes to attend to personal tasks. That way you can keep an eye on the clock and be motivated to stick to a schedule that allows you to get your work done and have time to whittle away at those pesky distractions.