The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
Everyone knows that working from home can provide many benefits, but one of the perks that most people look forward to is having a more flexible schedule. This alone is exceptional for parents of kids of any age; however, not enough discussion goes into some of the cons of being in the house all the time as a work-from-home parent. This article will cover some of the challenges you can expect if you plan on going this route.
Distractions
One of the biggest complaints a lot of parents have regarding working from home and trying to make an income online is that it can be easy to get distracted and find it hard to concentrate on their work. Of course, you might request not to be disturbed while you’re working, but this doesn’t always stop issues from coming up.
Remote work definitely allows you to spend more time with your kids, and you can even keep a more watchful eye over them, but sometimes they will have needs that need to be tended to, and unfortunately, the timing can be pretty poor, which can break the focus on your work, regardless if you set boundaries. Even if your kids don’t need attention, though, you can still become distracted by household chores you want to get to.
Scheduling Can Sometimes Be Tighter
Working at home and running your own online business can absolutely give you more breathing room when it comes to doing what you need to do each day and can give you opportunities to do things that you enjoy; however, there are situations where you might feel limited as to how you can allocate your time.
For example, chances are, if you’re working from home, you’re not paying for daycare services, but you might find that you can only be your most productive when your children are at school or when they’re asleep. Therefore, you might have to be stricter with your scheduling if you have kids who require a lot of attention throughout the day, and sometimes this can mean working irregular hours too.
Lack of Separation Between Work & Life
Being at home all of the time can blur the lines between work and your personal life, especially if you don’t work an entire shift all at once like you would if you had to commute to a workplace every day. Many people have converted their bedrooms and kitchens into home offices, and although this is definitely convenient, it does have its drawbacks.
While you’re working, you might be busy preparing a meal in the other room or babysitting, or conversely, you might catch yourself responding to emails in bed, and this can make it hard to disconnect and relax. These things can make some individuals feel like their life is unbalanced, but with careful planning, it’s possible to create a sense of work-life balance even if it all takes place in the same location.
Additional Parenting Resources
No matter if you commute to a job or you work remotely, parenting is not easy, and you can become overwhelmed, which is why it’s important to have different strategies to help you manage stress and become a happier parent.
To read free articles about topics like parenting, stress management, and coping with life changes, please visit BetterHelp to start learning more today, as well as how you can reach out to a licensed professional who understands what you’re going through and can help you become better equipped to deal with the challenges of parenting while making a living at home all at the same time.
Conclusion
Millions of people are reaping the benefits of working from home, especially parents, but even though these are fantastic opportunities that can offer people more satisfaction with their jobs, it’s also important to be aware of some of the disadvantages, and hopefully, this article has pointed them out so that you can be mindful of them and possibly learn how to work around them.
