admin Before I go into how I am planning my days in times of COVID-19, we have to be realistic and don’t expect to be on top of things all the time. The majority of us have been catapulted into a new reality overnight. As soon as all educational systems have been closed we found ourselves with kids at home, and for those who worked in an office to start working from home with kids in tow.
Some where already used to the notion of working from home. However definitely not used to work from home and at the same time homeschooling (or keeping entertained). Adjusting to this reality can take days. We want to keep our kids entertained, keep up with school, work from home, cook breakfast, lunch and dinner and keep the house clean.
Be realistic and DO YOU. Since the outbreak, we have seen the birth of many facebook groups sharing activities to do with your kids. Don’t feel obliged to keep your kids entertained with a million and one crafts and don’t feel guilt if your kids are having more screen time then allowed.
A few days ago on Facebook I posted a picture of our routine which was mostly focused on the schooling aspect for my 10yrs old. In this blog post will share an overview of how I plan.
Planning the Day
Those who follow me on Instagram know that since February I was no longer working outside the home and started working more on my social media and doing some freelance work. Once I started adjusting to the new routine, I found myself with the kids at home so had to readjust accordingly. May I remind you that my daughter is 10yrs old and my son is 4yrs old.
As far as my daughter is concerned I try and keep her routine structured and accordingly to the school timetable. This does not mean that everything goes according to the time, but at least we make sure that we have covered everything.
Early morning - 7am - 10am (work/breakfast/school to do list)
By 700am latest I am up and ready for the day. The day starts off by easy chores such as taking out the garbage. Whilst everyone is still sleeping I try and do as much freelance and personal work as possible. During this time I got into the habit of checking my daughter’s school portal, so I can plan the day for her.
My 4yr old normally wakes up first, and its at this time that I fix some breakfast for him and myself. He would normally spend sometime watching his favorite TV program. This will take me till around 1000am.
Mid Morning - 10am - 1230pm (work/lunch/school work)
I do let me daughter sleep in (makes it easier for me to manage one child at a time) but as soon as she is up she has breakfast, does her bed and starts with schoolwork (even if the timings are not exactly as posted on facebook schedule). If she needs to use my laptop for school work, then I include some activities with my son. He likes emulate what his sister does so I try and incorporate age appropriate activities. Otherwise I continue with with some work but does not mean that I don’t get distracted by social media, kids wanting a snack or help requests.
This will take us to lunch time that can vary anytime between 1200pm and 130pm
Early Afternoon - 1230pm - 330pm (work/free time)
After lunch time, and whilst I clean (including washing the floors), my daughter continues with her schoolwork whether its reading or some other work. My son has free playtime. My son’s schedule is pretty flexible so it really depends on his mood. If for example if I need to remove clothes from the rooftop he comes with me and he plays outside.
Sometimes I manage to pitch in an extra hour of work. During this time of day, it quiet time for the kids.
Late afternoon / early evening - 330pm - 630pm (clean up/dinner prep) & 630pm onwards (after dinner clean up/ bathtime)
At this time of day I focus on preparing dinner and other house chores. The kids can either help out, play together or separately or have screen time. I might pitch in some more social media related work such as Instagram stories.
Dinner is served at around 630pm, followed by clean up of kitchen and dining area. As soon as I finish it’s bedtime routine where I bath my 4yr old and tidy the house from any toys.
My son likes to lie next to me to sleep, so when I go to bed he comes next to me, he watches TV whilst I watch something on YouTube or edit a YouTube video. When he sleeps either myself or my husband take him to bed.
Bedtime for me is normally around 1100pm unless I doze off beforehand.
The house chores are normally split throughout the week and do little tasks during the day.
I do find that blocking chunks of time rather hour by hour allows a bit of more flexibility. Remember that it takes time to adjust, so don’t be discouraged.
Love
Strugglingmum xxxx.
[…] Working from bed and in your pajamas does not really do any help to your motivation and productivity. Act as if you were going to work, the only difference is that you have more flexibility. Therefore, if you are a morning person wake up early. Your hours do not necessarily have to be from 0900am – 500pm, however make sure you are available when the rest of the team is available. In order to stay productive and focused you need a structure. The same applies for kids. Establish your structure and adapt your kids routine accordingly. It does not mean that it would be perfect all the time, but it definitely helps. During your work hours, include activities that require minimal supervision. Check out my blog post about how I organize my day. […]