Working at home with a newborn brings both benefits and obstacles. Learn how to manage it all with this comprehensive guide.
It’s challenging enough being a new parent, let alone having to work at the same time. You already have your hands full with household tasks like chores, paying the bills, planning meals, and taking care of your children. A job just adds to the list.
When you have to do it all from home, especially with a newborn, it gets even harder to put up boundaries to separate your work and home life. There are some advantages to being a working-from-home mom or dad, especially if you get to set your own schedule or have some flexibility with clocking in and out. But there are obstacles to overcome to make sure you’re managing both responsibilities successfully.
So, how do you navigate being a new parent when you work from home? This guide will help you update your parenting plan to fill both roles effectively.
Benefits of working from home as a mom
Working at home with a newborn sounds almost impossible. You or a family member must be by the baby’s side at all times, ensuring they’re healthy and have everything they need. Working a normal job on top of that can be extremely stressful.
However, there are some benefits to being a work-from-home mom. Let’s cover some of them:
- You don’t have to travel to an office every day, so you can spend more time with your child.
- You’re easily accessible if your partner or the babysitter has any questions about care.
- You can potentially increase your income by taking on a job but still being at home.
- You may be able to save money on childcare if you stay at home.
- You don’t have to deal with the politics of the office.
- You can create a more flexible schedule or work arrangement.
These benefits explain why American adults are loving the remote-work lifestyle. According to McKinsey’s American Opportunity Survey, 80 million Americans engage in flexible work, and 87% of employed people take the option to work remotely when their employer offers it. Working from home can give parents lots of flexibility when managing care and conflicting schedules.
Top work-from-home mom jobs
Not all jobs can be done remotely, of course. But parents wanting to stay at home could consider these work-from-home jobs. Here’s a quick list to get you started:
- Writer
- Graphic designer
- Proofreader
- Virtual assistant
- Customer service agent
- Teacher/tutor
- Data entry clerk
- Social media manager
If you’re looking for a new job you can do remotely, consider your skills, experiences, and strengths. Think about the level of flexibility you need, whether you want to be a contractor or a full-time employee, and what you want to spend your time working on.
Tips for work-from-home moms
So, you know the benefits of working from home as a mom and the types of jobs that are great for this work arrangement. Now, let’s go over some tips for when you’re working from home with a newborn, caring for an older child, or both:
1. Decide if you want to work for yourself or someone else
You have options when you want to work remotely. You can be an employee for a company on a remote basis, where you’ll have to work a certain number of hours each week and complete projects according to the business’s deadlines and needs. This is a great option if you want to have a team to work and bond with or if you need benefits like health insurance.
However, if you don’t want to have to report to a manager or company, there are plenty of options for going it alone. You can pursue income from becoming an influencer or a blogger, or being a specialist contractor and taking on only a few projects at a time. This approach gives you more flexibility, which may be nice when you’re a new parent.
2. Stick to a work schedule
Flexibility benefits aside, it helps to have a schedule for your work. Plan out your days and weeks so you know in advance when you’ll be working and when you’ll be taking care of the kids or doing housework. Otherwise, it will be too easy to forego your work to do these other things. Being at home can be really distracting. Without a plan for your hours or the projects you want to complete each day, it will be hard to stay on track.
Creating a schedule also helps you set up expectations properly with other people. Give everyone your work hours so they know you’re not reachable during those times. This helps you establish healthy boundaries.
3. Dress for work every day
Remote workers love the option to stay in their pajamas all day. And while you should take advantage of those kinds of days as a new parent, it also helps to get ready for work most of the time, as if you were going into the office. Take a shower and dress nicely. You’ll feel like you’re actually preparing for work and will be less likely to get back into bed or be distracted by the kids.
Dressing for work can help create a nice separation between work and home life, which is another way to set boundaries and help yourself mentally prepare.
4. Create a separate space for work
You may be tempted to work in bed. Being in the comfort of your home is one of the perks of remote working, after all. But when you have children around, try setting up a space solely for work, like a home office. Separate yourself from your family for a little while. Find some peace and quiet to get things done. Creating a separate workspace allows you to focus more intently on work while signaling to everyone else that it’s not time to play or ask you questions.
Li’l Pengyu helps make your life easier
Working from home as a parent has its pros and cons. Make sure you stay proactive so that you’re doing a great job at both roles you have to manage.
Li’l Pengyu can help by bringing you high-quality baby products. We provide bassinets and playpens that are of superior quality, safety, and convenience for parents. We put tons of thought into every product we create and go above and beyond adhering to safety standards.
Learn more about Li’l Pengyu products by reaching out today.
