Summertime in the Home Office

Tonight, my son asked me how many more days of school he has left. “Three weeks” I said. He’s excited to have the summer off, and yes it will be fun. But my thoughts turn to “how the heck will I do all this while the child is running through the sprinkler, climbing trees, leaving doors open and smearing watermelon juice on every waist high surface …” Wendy was talking about the same concern the other day, so I thought I would chime in on the subject. If you are wondering how you are going to keep everything together with your (lovable) munchkins around, here’s my thoughts on the subject.

Routines can be your friend.

During the school year, we have routines. Consider at least a loose routine for the summer, even if that means waking up at 10am and going to bed late. Summer is a great time for fun and hanging out, but be careful that the days don’t fall apart along with your sanity. Get meals in there, quiet time to read, draw or create can be good for everyone’s well-being. Routines can help the body, mind and business stay on its rails. Leave a little wiggle room for a spontaneous day trip to the beach, it is summer after all.

What are the “big rocks”?

Fans of Stephen Covey may know the story of putting in the “big rocks” of your life first, and everything else fits in around them. Everyone’s “big rocks” vary, even from season to season. If you’re a stay at home parent who works from home, one of them may be more quality time with your kids rather than commuting time. Time management is all about priorities, and arranging the clock around them. Home office professionals get that more clearly than most others. You know who you are.

For me, I work when my son is at school, and after he goes to bed. This time when he freely hugs me in public is precious, and won’t last long so it’s one of my big rocks. Turning down a client or a networking meeting is a small price to pay for my son hugging me deeply and saying, “I love you Mom” (*collective sigh*). I wanted to stay home to make sure I didn’t miss that, so I work around it. (I’ve also been surprised at how understanding clients and colleagues are about it!)

Get help when you need it.

Recently I heard a businesswoman (who is also a mom of young children) quote another, “you can have it all, just not at the same time”. Sometimes you’ve got to call in reinforcements. If you know your child is going to climb the walls, curtains and banisters while you are on a one hour conference call, it might be time to ask for help. A sitter is a great idea, like a reliable teenager who is out for the summer and looking for extra spending money. Another option is exchanging favors with a neighbor or nearby friend. Also, consider starting a babysitting co-op (read this Today’s Parent article for some ideas).

Taking it one day at a time.

Summer is fun, and it is possible to get through it and be productive too. Keeping the kids occupied (check out Wendy’s great post here) and doing a little multi-tasking can take you a long way (as in a little wireless and laptop action in the lawn chair during outside playtime). A little dose of reality doesn’t hurt either. Take it one day at a time, with a plan in your hand and a backup plan in your back pocket.

Summer in the home office is a perk, as long as you’re armed with a plan and a little perspective. Where else can you work remotely from a beach chair or in your backyard hammock?  So, I’m firing up the barbeque, filling out daycamp registration forms, stocking up on popsicles, chilling the juice boxes and making sure my wireless reaches out to the sidewalk.  Bring it on, summer!