5 Tips for Being an Efficient Freelancer and Being at Home with Children

All parents know how difficult it has been to work and care for their children at the same time due to the confinement that was generated by the health crisis of COVID-19. That is why Latinamerican Post gives you some tips so that you can be a freelancer and, at the same time, take care of your little ones in the comfort of your home.

Also read: The rare syndrome that affects some children after overcoming COVID-19

Expert Tomás Castro, partner for the Financial Services industry at Deloitte, advised different executive management groups and focuses on offering solutions to multidisciplinary teams. The expert contributed ideas in a study called "The progressive return to work: the challenges for the financial industry" and says that it is likely that this return to work will only last 12 to 18 months. That is why it is advisable to put into practice some of the strategies suggested here in order to be prepared for what is to come.

1. Select your working area. The home office has becoming the regular due to the issue of the pandemic. However, if you do not have a place in your house for you to work, it is time to set it up and for children to recognize it as a space.
2. Implement an schedule for your daily tasks. Make a weekly to-do list, it will help you prioritize your activities and you can set goals. This action forces you to organize your work and establish deadlines, in which you can meet the challenges you set yourself to.
3. Plan some actions to save time. Usually when children are in preschool they require a little more attention. That is why one of the tips is to have the snack ready, or the bottle of water, including the activities at hand. This offers you the alternative of just stopping at breaks.
4. Overwork is not good. The worker's responsibilities increase by his own determination. The home office allows you to meet daily objectives in your work area, including determining if the monthly or annual goal is reached. However, having an overload of work brings infinities of consequences, such as anxiety, addiction, pain, memory loss, substance abuse, among others. In addition, it not only has a negative impact on your well-being, but also on your family.
5. Take breaks and interact with the children. Some experts say that the confinement that is being experienced by the COVID-19 pandemic generates anxiety. That is why they recommend that, for each hour of work in the home office, a 5 to 10 minute rest period be taken. This period can be used to answer children's questions or even have a cup of coffee, tea or mate.

Strategies to consider depending on the age of your little one

On the other hand, Dr. Damon Korb, a member of the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics, believes that different tactics must be implemented, since each age has its intricacies.

1. Babies (children from 0 to 3 years old). Babies at this age require a lot of attention. However, you can use a harness. Direct contact with parents keeps them asleep. However, when the baby wakes up, you must provide a change of diapers, nourishment, and stimulation.
2. Children of preschool age (age between 3 to 6 years). Implement various play areas, such as plastids, legos, crayons, among others. These activities will keep them busy constantly.
3. School-age children (6 to 12 years old). This age tends to be easier because they can meet their needs themselves, that is, go to the bathroom alone or eat alone. However, you can create routines and set tasks, even delegating some responsibilities.
4. Preadolescents and adolescents (their age ranges from 12 to 18 years). Although they are a bit more adult, they still require a structure and schedules. Plan, delegate responsibilities and maintain order and cleanliness. Share with them the homeschoollig project.

In short, the home office is an alternative that will continue to be the best option for many parents for a long time. So, try to plan, foresee and meet your goals to achieve your goals.