With everyone working from home, parents and children, it may seem impossible to live together and be productive. There always seems to be a new problem or distraction and before you know it, an hour has passed and you have done almost nothing. Here are five tips to follow to stay focused and leave time to relax.
Create a workspace
The creation of an individual workspace for each person can be the key to limiting distractions. Having everyone piled up on a kitchen table can lead to more socialising than work. The table can also become cramped and many people have difficulty concentrating when there are others around. If possible, try having a room where each person can work and set those boundaries so that when they are there they cannot be easily disturbed. Psychology reports have also indicated that by having a specific working position, your brain will begin to associate that position with work and allow the process of switching to the way you work more easily. So try to avoid studying in your bed or it could cause problems falling asleep!
Put distractions aside
Phones can be a major distraction for anyone, especially children. Create a “phone basket” where your child should put it during study hours. Or, if they need it for allocation, many phones now have a feature where you can disable some unnecessary apps such as Twitter or Instagram so they can only open those they need.
Create a programme
Maintaining a fixed schedule is incredibly important even though it can be difficult at the moment. Setting a fixed schedule forces you to have a time limit to really stabilise and concentrate, but also to have free time for yourself at the end of the day. Trying to be as close to your old schedule as possible is useful to get things done, but also to let these new changes not look so new.
Protect your children online
Because your children spend more time online, they are more likely to be exposed to harmful people or content. Making sure they are protected is incredibly important for their safety. Some tips for keeping them safe include talking to your children about Internet security, using privacy settings and monitoring their Internet use. Having an open discussion from the start can prevent anything bad from starting. Teach them these important skills so that your children know how to protect themselves without guidance.
Social connection
While work and school are important, so is free time. It is unrealistic to expect to be concentrated while working without sufficient downtime. When creating your schedule, it is essential to allocate relaxation time at the end of the day. This can be together as a family like watching TV or done individually like reading or reading a book or meditating. Connecting with a friend via a video chat can also help maintain those connections while talking to someone new.
Everyone lives and the children are different, so the methods used change a lot from family to family. Whether you try them all or just one, you know what will work best because you are the true expert in your personal family dynamics. A parent’s instinct knows!
Written by: Jennifer Jolly
Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2020/03/31/how-to-make-home-workable-school-during-covid-19-crisis/5077629002/