Working from Home and Homeschooling

Working From Home and Homeschooling

If you find yourself wondering if you can truly homeschool while working from home full-time, you aren’t alone.

Millions of parents around the world have been thrown into the work-from-home while homeschooling gig, and I personally know how overwhelming that can feel at first!

I have been playing the working-homeschool mom role for almost 3 years now and it is just hard sometimes.

While I’m mainly a content writer, as you likely already know since you’re reading some of my content right now, I also manage social media accounts, review curriculum, and work on in-depth projects with other homeschool content writers while homeschooling my own kiddos.

Some might not consider what I do a real or full-time job, but it definitely is!

I put a lot of time and effort into my work because I believe in quality work and don’t take shortcuts.

Plus, helping homeschool moms is just on my heart, you guys!

How to Work from Home While Homeschooling

I’m not going to lie, when COVID first hit I began getting an overwhelming amount of messages from new homeschool moms who were struggling to get their homeschool off the ground while working from home.

Sometimes the questions were solely about scheduling, organizing, or curriculum choices, while other times it was the ultimate complex question.

“How do you run a blog and homeschool?”

This is a hard one, you guys!

For starters, I’m not perfect. I don’t have it all together and I drop the ball sometimes!

I miss work deadlines and get behind on laundry just like everyone else.

However, I do lean on a few simple things that help me stay on task and meet those pesky deadlines while keeping that heaping laundry pile down – for the most part.

Check out the simple tips that allow me to work from home and homeschool at the same time. 

• Utilize a Block Schedule

YES!! I totally mention this in nearly every post I write, but I’m a huge planner girl!

Seriously though.

I crave all things scheduled, planned, and put together.

It’s simply how I function best.

With that said, I keep my scheduling process pretty straightforward by utilizing a block schedule for homeschool lessons & creating a priorities to-do list each day for work and house management.

Utilizing block schedules and printable to-do lists allows me to hyper-focus on the task at hand without concerning myself with what’s to come.

While paper lists and schedules are great, I’m also a huge fan of electronic reminders.

I like leaning on these types of reminders for time-sensitive tasks such as thawing out meat for dinner.

Call me crazy, but I totally feel like electronic reminders help to keep me in check when it comes to the little things.

• Multi-Task Wisely

While scheduling your day is important, learning how to multi-task when working from home and homeschooling is just as essential.

With that said, multi-tasking wisely is a must!

It’s nearly impossible to give children, and their education, the attention they really need if you are always in multi-tasking mode.

That is why I try to separate my work from homeschooling as much as possible.

I typically try to adapt the thought process of when I’m working, I’m working and when I’m teaching, I’m teaching.

For example, when it’s time for lessons, I close up my laptop and focus solely on my kiddo and when it’s time to work, I open the laptop back up and encourage my kids to work or play independently.

With that said, I actually find there are numerous times throughout my day when multi-tasking works best.

While the concept took me a little while to figure out, I can now navigate it like a pro — for the most part.

Check out the 2 ways I multitask like a pro.

#1 By Stealing Moments

To put it simply, multi-tasking like a pro means stealing the little moments.

When something requires in-depth teaching, hands-on activities, or deep conversation, I close up the laptop and enter homeschool mom mode.

No multitasking. Period.

However, when my kiddos are practicing independent school work, eating their lunch, or catching up on some reading, I open the laptop back up and steal the moment.

Stealing little moments to multitask will help your work-homeschool life blend together without placing either on the back burner.

With that said, the true key to multitasking like a pro is by focusing on small work tasks only when stealing moments during your homeschool day.

I typically take these moments to send a quick email or focus on some other small task that I can quickly finish in a minute or two.

I do this because it’s important that I’m still available for my children to ask questions if they get stuck on a word while reading or need assistance with their independent seat work.

It’s not a perfect method and sometimes the computer shuts as quickly as it was opened.

But for the most part, this method works, you guys!

#2 By Playing Double Duty

Another simple way I multitask while homeschooling is by setting aside time specifically for multitasking.

While these moments are typically not planned out in advance, they weasel their way into our homeschool schedule often and tend to be welcomed with open arms.

When the tension is high, I’m getting behind on work, and the kids simply aren’t getting their schoolwork done, we head outside for a multitasking win.

First, I have my kids grab simplistic homeschool lessons with clipboards and I set up shop with a folding table, my laptop, and a lawn chair.

Then, I encourage my kiddos to play with chalk or ride bikes in 5-10 minute increments, while I work.

Lastly, I call them over in between work tasks to look over completed school work, read lesson instructions, or study spelling words.

While this isn’t a perfect method, it is a super simple way to mix things up when working from home and homeschooling is hard — and trust me, it does get hard!

• Use Nights & Weekends

Not going to lie I kind of hate even mentioning this as an option, but to put it simply, it’s reality sometimes!

I prefer not to work on the weekend and I’m just going to assume most homeschool parents are that same exact boat.

However, sometimes it’s 100% necessary!

With that said, I do know that some jobs for homeschool moms simply aren’t as flexible as others.

Thankfully, I work for a pretty awesome boss (yes, I’m totally talking about myself) that allows me to make my own hours.

If the homeschool day is done and the kids are off to bed, but my work for the day isn’t complete, I have 2 options.

1. Push it off, hoping I will somehow have extra time in my schedule tomorrow.
2. Or, open that laptop back up and get a little work done in the evening hours.

I hate to admit it, but I’ve done number 2 many, many times!

I really do not like using my weekends for work purposes, so working in the evening is a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

It’s incredibly easy for me to get wrapped up in the amount of work I need to get done on a daily basis, which is why I prefer not to work on the weekends!

In our home, Saturdays are for family time, house cleaning, and errands. While Sundays are set aside for church, family time, and rest.

• Plan Off Days

So much this!

Off days are my secret weapon, you guys!

We utilize a 3-day homeschool week, leaving one weekday open for out-of-the-home field trips and another for free-range play and catch-up.

My children work on formal lessons Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday each week.

Then, Wednesday is left open for a nice mid-week breather that consists of out-of-the-house learning and field trips.

Finally, there’s Friday —  the day I live for.

This day is all about work, errands, and catch-up.

To put it simply, Fridays are my day for productivity.

I catch up on those pesky household tasks I’ve pushed off all week, pour myself into my work deadlines, menu plan for the upcoming week, and sometimes even manage to pick up the groceries.

Not only is this day important for my mental health and work deadlines, it’s also a wonderful opportunity for my kids to practice free-range play while using their imaginations.

With that said, if creating a shorter homeschool week sounds like a doable option but you’re strapped for activity ideas for the kiddos try implementing a simple homeschool loop schedule for your day off.

Check out these simple helps for planning your day off.

Entertaining the Kids When Working from Home:

Fridays are what I like to call free-range days in our homeschool.

I let my kids do whatever, with the exception of screen time because we do limit that in our home.

My kids tend to build forts, play LEGO, spend time outside, and basically wreck the house.

With that said, we still have the occasional Friday when my kids find themselves bored and in need of a little inspiration from Mom.

These are my 2 go-to activities, you guys! 

#1. Hands-on Activities

I have been known to set up 2 folding tables in the middle of my living room filled with random activities.

I then encourage my kids to rotate from table to table completing the activities.

While we don’t do this often, my kids do enjoy it when I mix it up like this from time to time!

#2 DEAR Day

While DEAR Day is technically celebrated on April 12th each year, to celebrate Beverly Cleary’s birthday.

We actually celebrate this fun activity multiple times a year.

All of my kiddos are independent and avid, readers!

If you are struggling with activity ideas for your day off and have book lovers in your home, this is a great one to lean on!

• Practice Self-Care

While this isn’t technically a tip for working from home and homeschooling, practicing self-care is essential when it comes to maintaining your mental health so you can work from home while homeschooling.

This working while homeschooling stuff is hard, you guys!

I know I personally need a little me time at the end of the day, and I’m betting you do too!

Taking the time to sneak small moments out of your day or planning some time to de-stress in the evening hours for yourself will simply give you the extra push you need to get that work done each and every day.

It’s important to care of yourself, so you can do the hard stuff.

Working from Home and Homeschooling

Learning how to work from home and homeschool is such a task!

Take some time to share this article on social media with other struggling homeschool parents today.