Ray Pigott 
Has lockdown resulted in lots of changes to your usual routine? At the top of the list is the necessity to work from home. Usually, the opportunity to turn the dinner table into your war room would be an excellent way to increase career independence and give you a break from the office. However, with your significant other and kids at home, too, the house feels tiny and suffocating.
The problem is finding a way to ignore the tonnes of distractions as you’re still working and must be productive. Hopefully, these top tips will help as you don’t want to get sacked!
Find An Office
Not everyone is blessed with a home office, which is a shame. Still, it doesn’t mean you have to continue working in communal areas because you will only experience more distractions. Therefore, it’s vital to transform a quiet, unoccupied space into a makeshift workplace until you can return to your traditional workspace. If you have a spare bedroom or an attic or cellar you don’t use, you can clear it out, buy a plug-in heater, and close the door. You’ll find that being out of sight is out of mind, especially with your kids!
Lay Ground Rules
The fact you and your partner are working from home blurs the lines for children. They assume you’re on holiday or don’t have as many responsibilities, which is why they’re happy to interrupt your rhythm. It’s not their fault because they aren’t used to the routine and don’t understand the new dynamic. So, the key is to explain it. Tell them that even though you’re home, you must work from the hours of X until Y. Until then, they should try and limit interrupting you unless it’s important.
Let Them Blow Off Steam
You explained the situation perfectly, and the kids still cause distractions! As always, the trick is to make sure they’re entertained to keep them occupied for long periods. Leaning on electronic devices seems unhealthy, yet it has plenty of benefits, from increased social interaction to improved learning. Gaming is particularly effective, which is why you should consider everything from beds for gamer kids to a strong WiFi signal so that their sessions flow. Anyone worried about excess screen time can always make up for it by being more active when all the family is free.
Get Some Sleep
The pandemic is playing havoc with sleep patterns. When you’re tired, it’s a lot harder to concentrate as the smallest things get on your nerves, which is why it’s vital to rest for seven to nine hours per night. The same goes for the kids as they are more irritable when they’re tired. Working out is essential as remaining active makes the whole family sleepy, as does sticking to a routine. Whether it’s during the week or the weekend, you should avoid sleeping in for more than two hours after your usual alarm.
Distractions are inevitable when everyone is at home on top of each other. But, they don’t have to get in the way of your productivity levels and make you less professional.
