With the current world wide isolations in place, because of COVID-19, many of us are now working at home, be it our own business, or for a boss and, for many, this also means having the kids at home. The two can mix quite amicably but it can take time to settle into a routine. Believe me, I’ve done it! Having brought up five young daughters who were aged 7-13 when I started my business in 1994. They’re all grown now, four are married, three with children, and are working at home, doing very different things to me. They followed their passions and found businesses that worked for them.
But, what about in those early days? I find that when there are three or more children in a household they’re more likely to keep each other occupied and less dependent on their parents for attention – depending on their ages, of course. I know it can be harder if there’s just one or two children at home. However, if they’re at an age where they can follow directions and have the ability to help you, why not put them to work in your home office too, just for an hour or two, a few days a week?
What kinds of things can they do? Kind of depends on what type of work you’re doing, but for me, they did the following:
Folding and stuffing letters into envelopes- Putting stamps on envelopes
- Sorting envelopes into groups of 20 and put rubber bands around them ready to take to the post office (I did a lot of mail-outs back in those days)
- Filing of paperwork
- Simple data entry into a spreadsheet or database
- Typing up their own resume under guidance, for future use, based on what they had been doing in the office
- Copy typing a document
- Answering the phone
- Photocopying documents
- Filling conference bags for an upcoming conference, and so on.
Folding and stuffing letters into envelopesI’m sure you get the picture. There are lots of things that could be done by your children if you think about it long enough. Even if your work isn’t office-based but something else. However, it is important they get paid for their time – this is an ideal life lesson for them about the value of their time and being paid for that time. Just as you are paid for your time. Suggestions I make are:
- Set an hourly rate
- Give them money for pay each week, or
- Put money into their money box, or
- Put money into their bank account on a weekly basis and show them the growing balance, or
- Keep a spreadsheet tally and once it’s grown enough, purchase for them something online – something they want to spend their earnings on
Our children need to feel valued and having them help you in your work not only teaches them new skills, but also helps them to feel involved and a part of what you’re doing daily. Instead of it being so isolating for them, it’s more inclusive for you all. I’d love to hear what they’ve been doing for you at home while you work.
Kathie is the owner of VA Directory and is former past President of the Australian VA Association. She founded the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia in the mid 90s, having already been operating a home-based secretarial service. Today the VA industry covers a multitude of office-based services for clients worldwide.
While the media has made it seem like the entire world is on the brink of complete disaster, that’s not the reality with all businesses. Most businesses that were already working online, like us, can pretty much continue on as we always have done. This puts us in a fairly strong position. We haven’t had to uproot from business premises somewhere else to set up at home. Working at home isn’t strange to us – it’s a normal activity. And we’re already used to working remotely, and productively, even if there are family members at home.
All VAs should be marketing online but if you’re not, time to start. So, look into what you are doing and where. Most of you will have clients that won’t go out of business – some may close their office for a while, or cut down their hours, but most will remain in business and you can help them with this. Perhaps show them how to do more online, how to be more reachable, and how to use online tools such as Zoom, Asana, Trello, Slack, Dropbox, Skype and so on. Now’s a time for you to reach out and offer help to your existing client base and to others too.
Talk of the coronavirus is rife at the time of writing this post. We’re about 10 weeks or so into when the virus began to break out into the world. No-one knew what it might mean in their countries and at home, and we’re, as yet, to learn how long this might go on for.
Get dressed – don’t live in your pyjamas. I know there are articles out there about people working in their PJs but personally I find it hard to get into a working frame of mind if I’m not dressed. In my early days I had to drive my kids to school, so I would then go pick up my mail from the post office and come back home to the office. It became a mindset. So, if possible, set your mind to recognising that once you walk into the room where you are going to work, you have ‘come to the office’ or whatever your normal workspace might be.
Set hours for working – use an alarm if you need to. Determine to start work at a set time and to finish at a set time. If you have a partner and/or family, this will also help them to have some understanding of when you are working and when you aren’t.
Don’t be tempted to get up later in the mornings – use the time you would usually need for travel, to doing things around your home – or for going a walk to start off your day.
Take regular breaks from your work – particularly if you’re in front of a computer screen all day long. This means go and make a cuppa for yourself, get something to eat, and move around for a bit. Sitting or standing in the one place for hours on end is not good for your body.
During your lunch break go outside and get some fresh air. Go for a walk in your garden, down the street, in a local park. Vitamin D, some sunshine and fresh air is needed. Your body needs some activity.
If you are feeling lonely and isolated, then call someone on your phone, preferably someone from your work environment. Not everyone is cut out to working alone at home all day long, every day. But if you do make any phone calls, set a timer so you don’t spend a lot of time on the phone. Or you could have the radio on all day long. I do – the music and voices chattering are in the background, but it helps to feel that I’m not on my own and gives me a sense of companionship. Don’t forget you have neighbours too! You can chat over the fence, or the balcony, or whatever is dividing your homes. Or even across the road – that way you get to see people face-to-face without being close to one another.
At the end of your work day – do other things, a hobby, go outside, work out, watch a movie. Something other than what you do all day for work. You need to be able to switch off and let your mind be refreshed. Just because you have work at home doesn’t mean you have to be doing it 24/7 – and your mind will be sharper if it’s allowed to relax and focus on other things.
