How to work from home with a baby or toddler

Working from home may seem like the ideal setup, with perks like wearing comfy pants and not having to do your hair every morning. But when you have a baby or toddler in tow and limited childcare options, you're faced with an entirely new set of challenges.

Whether you're resuming a freelance career after having a baby, struggling to find reliable childcare, or attempting to work remotely with a toddler who's home sick from daycare, you're not alone: Data from the Pew Research Center revealed that in 2021, roughly 30 percent of parents worked remotely. And because of office closures resulting from the pandemic, many parents permanently transitioned from an in-office job to a fully remote one.

It can definitely be difficult to juggle your day job and a baby or toddler at home, but difficult doesn't mean impossible. With a few adjustments, a little organization, and (hopefully) some help from loved ones, you can make it work. Here are a few tips on how to work from home with a baby or toddler.

Set a schedule

Working and parenting while sticking to a schedule may seem like too much to take on. But the point here isn't to keep a perfect schedule, but to simply create a framework that covers the main goals you need to accomplish every day. Plus, a schedule can help you refocus when things get off track.

Develop a flexible routine that complements your work habits and your child's needs. Consider:

• Waking up early in the morning to get a good amount of work done before your baby wakes up.
• Creating a to-do list of what you need to accomplish each day.
• Putting in some work time after your baby's asleep for the night.
• Trading off blocks of time with your partner (if you have one) to either take all baby duties or work.

Whether you go for a strict work schedule or a more haphazard one, plan some transition time. It's not easy to move from diapers to deadlines and back again. Give yourself time to make phone calls, read emails, or simply collect your thoughts.

Likewise, make sure to schedule family time into your workday, perhaps feeding your baby, joining your older kids for lunch, or taking a walk together. As your children grow, try to include them in your work life – many work-at-home parents appreciate that their children see their work as part of the rhythm of family life.

Get help with childcare if you can

One thing veteran WFH (work from home) parents agree on is that if you're planning on working from home and having your baby or toddler there long-term, at least some childcare is a must.

There are ways to successfully maintain a semblance of balance between your working and parenting lives, and that's by taking whatever help you can get. This can depend on whether you have extended family nearby and what your friend network or support circle looks like.

Many grandparents relish the chance to spend time with their grandbabies and want to help whenever they can. If you have relatives that would love to help out, give them the green light and be specific about your needs. If they ask, "What can I do to help?" you can tell them they can watch the baby for a few hours, prepare a meal, or do the laundry.

Another option is to make arrangements with your parent friends to swap childcare days or even hire a nanny or babysitter together and split the cost. Together, you can interview and vet candidates until you find someone you trust to watch your kids.

If you discover that you simply can't work with your child around – even when a babysitter's on duty – then you'll need to make off-site childcare arrangements or establish a home office out of sight and earshot. Even if you can work with your child or children nearby, you'll need a reasonably private space, preferably with a door that closes, in order to accomplish things. Once behind that door, some parents want to be disturbed only in an emergency.

With each of these choices, the goal is the same – child-free time to fully focus and get work done.

Get creative with short bursts of work

Another essential strategy is working in short blocks of time while your baby plays in a swing, goes down for a nap, or goes to bed at night. You can also arrange a play area near your desk, complete with blankets and toys, to keep your baby amused – at least for a few minutes – while you answer emails or work on a project.

Another pro tip: Snacks are your friend! If your baby is eating finger foods, put them in a highchair nearby and fill the tray with cereal, small pieces of chopped fruit, or one of their other favorite snacks. This can buy you a good chunk of time to devote to working.

You'll often find that your baby just wants to be close to you. So, you can also try wearing your baby in a carrier or wrap while you work.

Give yourself a break

Now's a good time to shift your expectations about having a clean house and homemade dinners. When you're working at home with a baby, some things will inevitably fall through the cracks, and you'll need to accept that life may now come with a certain degree of messiness.

Try not to see your changing standards as a loss of control: Instead, take the change as your attempt to go with the flow and adjust to a new situation. Leave the tidying until the end of the day or put it off altogether and then do a big cleanup on the weekend. Release the reigns on screen time if you need to and let an educational and fun show entertain your baby.

Most importantly, set realistic goals. You'll need to ease into working under these new circumstances. Don't try to write a novel when you're most likely good for just a few paragraphs. Agree to make that presentation in three weeks, not one. Everyone will be better off.

Let your employer know what's going on

Working from home with a baby is a complicated situation, and there will be times when you'll need to step away from your desk or take on a lighter workload.

Be honest with your supervisor or manager. They may have also navigated video meetings with a screaming toddler in the background or had to shift their day around to pick up their sick child from school. They'll hopefully understand what you're going through or at least be empathetic.

Make time for yourself

In the midst of it all, you still have to take care of yourself. You can do that by finding brief moments in your day to breathe deeply and consciously. You can also:

• Put your favorite song on blast and take a dance break.
• Sit in your backyard for a few minutes to grab some sunshine and fresh air.
• Put your computer to sleep and go grab a small bowl of ice cream.
• Take a mental health day.

Once you find a groove, you may even enjoy this opportunity to spend days with your baby while devoting time to your career. You'll learn as you go, and figure out what works best for you both.