Working From Home With Kids? Top 7 Tips To Manage The Impossible
- Written by Modern Australian
Are you planning to move to Tokyo or somewhere else in Japan with your kids? It’s easy to understand why you might be feeling a bit anxious about the move, especially if you’re planning to work from home. How can you manage the impossible?
If you’ve made prior arrangements with childcare, you can find online nanny payroll services. You may check out motherhoodcommunity.com to know everything about the nanny payroll service. It’s one less thing off your checklist.
But don’t forget to relax and treat yourself to a home spa. You can massage your tired legs and arms with essential oils or relax with some CBD oils as part of your wellness routine after a busy day at work or planning the move.
You can also opt to have security cameras installed in your apartment to keep track of your kids’ safety and security even when you’re busy behind your locked office door.
We share some tips below to help you transition into this exciting new chapter of your life, so you can make the most of your job while also keeping your kids safe and entertained.
These tips can also help you if you’re already in Japan but finding it difficult to work from home with your kids around.
Set Up Your Workstation
Many young children don’t know the concept of work and earning money. So, they might find it difficult to understand a work-from-home setup, especially if you’ve been heading out to the office before this move.
If it’s possible at all, set up your workstation at home. Let the kids know that this space is only for you while you’re working. It might even be a good idea to give them a rough estimate of your schedule.
For example, you can tell them, “Kids, mom will be working from breakfast to lunch in my office.”
They might be curious and ask about your job, what you’ll do, and whether they can still talk to you while you’re working. Of course, your answers will depend on your job, but what’s important is that you establish your boundaries even if your kids are around while you work.
Establish Ground Rules
Keeping the kids out of your office can be challenging. But establishing ground rules and sticking to them will eventually make your kids understand and know what they should or shouldn’t do.
Simple ground rules can include things like these:
- Knock or open the door only if you don’t hear me talking or speaking to someone.
- You can only take anything from my desk with my permission.
- You can only use my computer when I’m around, but don’t click anything or answer calls, even if I’m in the bathroom.
Spend Time With Your Kids
Yes, working from home can be a huge challenge, and your kids might not understand why they can’t always cuddle or talk to you when you’re just within reach.
They might even feel bad or resent your job because of that. So, aside from trying to make your kids understand that you’re working from home now, it’s important to set aside time to be with them.
You can spend quality time with your kids at home, or you might also want to explore Japan with them. Start with your neighborhood or visit popular tourist spots during your day off.
Assess Your Schedule & Find A Good Routine
It’s not easy to juggle family time with your job, but time management is the key. Assess your schedule and check whether you can do your job while the kids are sleeping or doing school.
If you’re also the kids’ part-time teacher, then find a schedule that can best fit your work schedule outside the time they need for school work.
Many parents find it easier to work when their kids are asleep.
Once you have your schedule plotted down, you can try sticking with it to establish a good routine and meet your work targets.
Find Childcare & Keep The Kids Busy While You’re At Work
It’s surprising to many, especially foreigners, that childcare can be difficult to find in Japan. Many daycare centers are open only a few hours a day and are closed during weekends.
It could be due to Japan’s culture of parents being responsible for raising their children.
If you can’t find a nanny or childcare center nearby, give your kids lots of options to keep themselves busy while you’re working. Invest in some child-friendly books, toys, and activities they can do on their own.
Keep Yourself Healthy & Stress-Free
Even with your busy schedule, don’t be too hard on yourself.
Lighten up, stay stress-free, and keep yourself healthy.
Pick The Right Place To Stay
Living costs are quite high in Japan, especially in major cities like Tokyo.
A one-room apartment (20-40 sqm) costs around 100,000 yen (US$865) per month but can go up to twice or thrice that amount, depending on the location and amenities offered.
In contrast, the national average is around 50,000-70,000 yen (US$430-$605) per month.
Having a separate home office is ideal if you’re working from home. So, you might consider moving your family from a small apartment to a multi-bedroom home.
Here are some units to consider, with their corresponding monthly rates:
- 2-bedroom unit (65 sqm) at Patio Seijo in Setagaya - 134,000 yen (US$1,160)
- 2-bedroom unit (43 sqm) at MM Garden in Chuo - 185,000 yen (US$1,600)
- 3-bedroom unit (57 sqm) at Zelkova Karasuyama in Setagaya - 145,000 yen (US$1,250)
- 3-bedroom unit (64 sqm) at Takadanobaba Park Homes in Shinjuku - 189,000 yen (US$1,635)
