Tips for Working From Home With a Toddler

Get Up Really Early

The best way to work when your toddler is around is by getting as much done as possible when they aren't. This means setting an alarm an hour or two before they are up for the day. If you do your best thinking in the morning, tackle your largest projects sans distractions during this time. But if you're not a morning person, getting up early can still be useful. Have a cup of coffee and use this time to organize yourself, respond to quick email requests, and plan out the rest of your workday.

Encourage Independent Play

Independent play is important for toddler development and should be encouraged. For working parents, independent play can give mom or dad some much needed time to get work done. Busy bags are a great way to entice your toddler to play by herself. They're exactly what they sound like: bags of simple activities designed to keep toddlers busy.

Hire a Babysitter or Parent's Helper

Sometimes, if you want to work from home successfully, hiring help is a must. It depends on your situation, but all kinds of arrangements exist—from a full-day nanny to a parent's helper that comes for a few hours a few times a week—and setting up a regular routine with a sitter can help ensure you have dedicated time each week to get your work done.

Swap Sitting Services With Another Parent

Know another work-from-home parent in your neighborhood? Setting up a babysitting swap is a win-win-win! A swap basically means that one parent takes both kids for a few hours so the other can work, and then the first parent returns the favor. In addition to getting some much needed time alone to put your nose to the grindstone, your kids get a fun playdate. Bonus: It's free! 

Take Advantage of Nap Time

When you're a work-from-home parent, enforcing a nap time each day is not only important for your little one's health and development, it's critical for you. If you can, encourage a long nap—two to three hours for most toddlers is not too much time to nap in the afternoon.

Give Your Toddler Undivided Attention

Working from home has obvious benefits for many parents, but it's not always easy. Leaving work behind physically is not possible, and it can be tough to let it go mentally as well. But if your toddler is trying to get your attention, chances are, he's not going to stop until he succeeds.

Put your to-do list aside, log off the computer, and give your toddler the attention he needs and deserves. Set boundaries and make sure there are plenty of work-free times throughout the day. After all, the biggest perk of working from home is spending time with your toddler—so make sure you take advantage of it.