When the COVID-19 pandemic first started, schools around the country had to make a quick switch to online learning. We all just did our best in a pinch, juggling work and school while trying to maintain some sense of normalcy. Making such a quick switch was pretty challenging, but now that remote learning is here to stay, we have the chance to make it go smoother. With just a little preparation - and organization - students can start the year less stressed, and parents can accomplish more while working from home.

Organize Your Work Space

Many of us had to start working from home, alongside our kids, without much preparation. You may have found a short-term solution that worked initially, but if you’ll be continuing this arrangement for any length of time, each family member NEEDS their own organized workspace. To set up a work area that actually stays clutter-free, it’s important to designate a unique space for each person, along with storage for work and school documents, plus easy access to supplies. The blog Home Storage Solutions 101 has some great storage ideas for making the most of the space you have, like using inexpensive plastic drawers or a cart to organize your supply stash. You can take on this task yourself, but if you’re short on time or simply feeling overwhelmed, there’s no shame in enlisting the help of Happy Organized.

Along with good organization, having the right technology is another necessity for making your home just as efficient as your office or school space. Each family member needs their own device, plus you’ll want an internet connection that can handle multiple people using it at the same time. If your current service isn’t getting the job done, or if you’re paying too much for high-speed internet, it’s worth looking into other options. You may even want to see if 5G home internet is available in your area to get the speed and bandwidth you need.

Make a Plan… But Keep it Flexible

Setting up your space to be functional and organized is the first step toward making this school/work-from-home arrangement successful, but you can’t stop there. Organization is just as important when it comes to how you spend your time. Our suggestion is to make a plan for how your day will be structured - AND set some ground rules. However, there’s a big caveat to making a plan: remember that everyone is figuring this out as we go, so you need to leave room for flexibility.

The reality is that what works for one family may not work for someone else. For example, if you have older kids who can follow remote learning independently, you may want to work while they’re working. Younger kids may need more guidance, though. In this case, you may need to do your own work during their downtime. Most importantly, Parents magazine recommends separating your work and parent roles as much as possible. This way you can be more attentive to work during work time - and kids during kid time.

Bring in Backup

So many of us parents feel as though we have to do it all, but even in a pandemic, we all have resources we can lean on for support. Some families that are working and doing school from home are forming pods as a way to give each other some relief. Working parents are also finding ways to balance household needs and work needs. For example, you can outsource a cleaning service to help around the house, or you can hire an assistant to tackle everyday work tasks that are easily delegated.

Many families have discovered too just how much kids can do themselves. Just like you organize school supplies so that kids can grab what they need, when they need it, spend a few minutes in the morning “packing” lunch, snacks, and break time activities so that kids can help themselves (and not interrupt your work).

We know that remote learning is a less than ideal situation, but like anything in life, the way you approach it can make all the difference. Getting organized and attacking it with a plan will help keep kids on task - all while you accomplish more too. And who knows, you may end up with kids who are smarter and more independent than ever before!

Photo credit: Pexels

By Cherie Mclaughlin