How to manage all the work at home with 2 kids beside?
This blog post is something non techie and maybe also my try to give some others advice how to manage it. But also to prove and to get feedback if I do it right... so hopefully a win-win situation which is in times of COVID19 for a lot out there not a win!
But enough from phrases and my motivation. LEt's get back to the topic and as you might know, I'm a fan of bullet points and lists.. It's something which gives me a straight line and so I also stay here with it.
If you are arriving at work and the first move is to grab a coffee, do it also at home. This is important at least for me to bring my mind into the work-mood.
It's much easier to work, when the kid(s) are sleeping... so I decided to start my workday a lot earlier to get concentrated time for those task which need it.
Save the messy work to do it, when your kids around, so of course it will take five minutes longer, but the result will be the same... example for that (Implement Notes and find those, which are missing... but that is another story to tell)
If you do not have a room left over search for a place where you can put your work-stuff and leave it. I have my desk in my living room. But it's positioned in a corner, so I can leave everything like I want to and if I need it, I just can put a blanket over it.. so everything gone, I'm at home again.
Fun fact, I have done a skype meeting in my workshop/garage and it was awesome!
It's a little bit the first point again. Do what you also do when you're at work. Talk to each other and don't let it break down on a telephone just about the task to do. Ask also how the kids are doing, what the impression to work at home is and also what are the plans after the work, just like you would do when you are at the company side.
Breaks are important. If you aren't able to do all the work at night (as I do) and you have kids around, give them timeslots to look at. Means that you have to plan breaks and also plan some time to build some LEGO or other things with your kids. It's also strange to them nowadays and they want to have also quality time with us.
My toddler (4 years) love this timeslots and it's much easier for him to let me work and not to ask every 2 minutes when I'm finished after I figured that out.
That's it. Maybe I do other things also in another way, but I would say, these are my important ones and let's see what you have to add to my list or do you have another opinion on a point, let me know and also tell me how you manage it. I'm open for everything which will my workday better and improve the balance.
Offtopic point is to join the community events, like Stammtisch and other activity. I recognize that a lot is going online and that's great, just to have a little normal conversation.
https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/events/SAP+Inside+Track (The Stammtisch-Events are located right as "Other Community Events"
or here for the Community Calls (BTW, the last one was great fun)
https://community.sap.com/resources/community-calls
Stay healthy
Florian
Little update:
Forgot to put the links into the last section, I want you to also attend if the time fits.
I have learned that the blog is not an English word, it must be called blog post. So I corrected it. You never stop learning.
+ pictures comes from:
This blog post is something non techie and maybe also my try to give some others advice how to manage it. But also to prove and to get feedback if I do it right... so hopefully a win-win situation which is in times of COVID19 for a lot out there not a win!
But enough from phrases and my motivation. LEt's get back to the topic and as you might know, I'm a fan of bullet points and lists.. It's something which gives me a straight line and so I also stay here with it.
- Do your daily task the same way you would do it at work.
If you are arriving at work and the first move is to grab a coffee, do it also at home. This is important at least for me to bring my mind into the work-mood.
- Check your times!
It's much easier to work, when the kid(s) are sleeping... so I decided to start my workday a lot earlier to get concentrated time for those task which need it.
Save the messy work to do it, when your kids around, so of course it will take five minutes longer, but the result will be the same... example for that (Implement Notes and find those, which are missing... but that is another story to tell)
- A tiny place for work
If you do not have a room left over search for a place where you can put your work-stuff and leave it. I have my desk in my living room. But it's positioned in a corner, so I can leave everything like I want to and if I need it, I just can put a blanket over it.. so everything gone, I'm at home again.
Fun fact, I have done a skype meeting in my workshop/garage and it was awesome!
- Communication is important
It's a little bit the first point again. Do what you also do when you're at work. Talk to each other and don't let it break down on a telephone just about the task to do. Ask also how the kids are doing, what the impression to work at home is and also what are the plans after the work, just like you would do when you are at the company side.
- Take breaks and plan breaks
Breaks are important. If you aren't able to do all the work at night (as I do) and you have kids around, give them timeslots to look at. Means that you have to plan breaks and also plan some time to build some LEGO or other things with your kids. It's also strange to them nowadays and they want to have also quality time with us.
My toddler (4 years) love this timeslots and it's much easier for him to let me work and not to ask every 2 minutes when I'm finished after I figured that out.
That's it. Maybe I do other things also in another way, but I would say, these are my important ones and let's see what you have to add to my list or do you have another opinion on a point, let me know and also tell me how you manage it. I'm open for everything which will my workday better and improve the balance.
Offtopic point is to join the community events, like Stammtisch and other activity. I recognize that a lot is going online and that's great, just to have a little normal conversation.
https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/events/SAP+Inside+Track (The Stammtisch-Events are located right as "Other Community Events"
or here for the Community Calls (BTW, the last one was great fun)
https://community.sap.com/resources/community-calls
Stay healthy
Florian
Little update:
Forgot to put the links into the last section, I want you to also attend if the time fits.
I have learned that the blog is not an English word, it must be called blog post. So I corrected it. You never stop learning.
+ pictures comes from:
coffee -> https://pixabay.com/de/photos/kaffee-latte-kunst-coffee-shop-2585667/
desk -> https://www.flickr.com/photos/crazytales562/2826952885
telephone -> google save search pictures a while ago
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