Staying focused and productive while working from home is definitely challenging. There are many baby and household distractions and time wasters that can eat into one’s time and ability to focus on the task at hand.
It can become even more challenging if you and your husband both work from home. How do you stay focused on your work? How do you manage your time?
You can go on breaks together, work from separate rooms, have separate work tools, work on co-working spaces , or work different shifts.
How to Remain Productive when you and your Husband Work from Home
1. Go On Breaks Together To Avoid Disrupting Each Other
When either you or your husband wants to take a break when both of you are working from home, the first thought is to check out on your partner. If the other person was still working and not ready to engage with you, it leads to losing focus.
If your husband takes a break at 10 am and you are still working, chances are he will come to chat with you and distract you in the process. To avoid this, schedule to take breaks at the same time. You and your husband can decide to take a break at say 10. am for a cup of coffee and 12.40 for lunch.
It ensures neither you nor your husband is disrupting the other when working. It is only natural to want to spend the work breaks together and therefore to avoid it affecting anyone’s productivity it is best that you both go on the break at the same time.
2. You & your Husband should Work in Separate Rooms
Focusing on the task at hand requires minimal distraction. Not many moms can work effectively with either their kids or their husbands in the same room. It is not enough to just have separate desks in the same room. You need a separate room where you are not into each other face.
Also it comes naturally that you will find things to talk about and hence this affects your productivity. To resolve this and still focus on your work while your husband is also focusing on his is to work from a separate room.
Choose two rooms that either you can use as the office. One can use the study room while the other uses the bedroom or the kid’s room or the spare bedroom or even the basement. The idea is to have a space with no distractions that may make you lose focus and productivity.
Read: Being Productive while working from Home
3. Have Separate Offices and Tools
In addition to having a separate office,when you are your partner are both working from home, you need to have everything you need in this office. This includes a laptop, printer, phone, internet, stationeries, etc. It will stop you from moving from your home office to your husband’s office to get these items.
It also prevents him from moving from his office to your office. Doing so will eliminate a lot of time-wasting as well as save both of you from distractions that can make you lose focus on your work. As such it will enhance your productivity while working from home with your husband.
In addition, sharing may lead to inconveniences as you may need the same thing that your husband is currently using. If you can afford it ensure that you and your husband have a separate set of what you need at your office.
4. Use Co-Working Spaces on Critical Days for Focus
The good thing about working remotely is that no one cares where you are working from. You can work on your bed, on your couch or from the office desk. What matters is that you get the work done and maintain productivity.
As such you can manage to keep up the required performance even if you and your husband are working from home at the same time. You just need to be versatile depending on the tasks you have at hand.
You have the option of working from co-working spaces if your town has one. In such a space you are literally in an office. If you have very few meetings and only need a laptop to work, go work at a coffee shop/brewery or the library where you do not have to spend any money.You will have minimal distructions and can stay focused on your work.
Choose these options on days or hours that you know are critical and you need total commitment and concentration that will be hard to get when you are working from home with your husband. You may pay a small fee but it is completely worth it.
Alternatively, you can have your husband work from the co-working space or the coffee shop and you can stay home and work.
Read: How to Keep a Social Life while Working from Home
5. Work Different Shifts with your Husband
If you have a flexible work schedule, you can choose to work on those hours when there are zero distractions. These should be hours when both your husbands and the kids are not up to disrupt you. Therefore you should accomplish the bulk of work around these hours.
If you have the luxury of work flexibility, you can work very early in the morning when everyone is still sleeping or late in the evening when everyone else has laid down to sleep. You will still need to do a few tasks here and there during the day but you will have already completed your focus intensive work already.
Also, you will need to take a nap to compensate for the early mornings and late nights. The arrangement is convenient for you since your productivity remains unaffected by your husband working from home.
Tips on Remaining Productive while You and Your Husband Work from Home
- While you and your husband both work from home, create a silent coded system together that says when you can be interrupted and when not. It could be differently colored door signs, “do not disturb” sign on the door, an empty chair at the door, “am in a meeting” sign on the desk, burning a certain candle, etc.
- Be nice but do not be too accommodating to each other. Don’t accommodate behaviors that are affecting your work performance and your existing balance
- Minimise noise distraction as you and your husband work to remain productive. If noise still gets to you in your office, use headphones
- While you and your husband both work from home, have a work plan that handles the house chores and keep you focused on professional work. Have a calendar and schedule when both of you are available for household duties without affecting the other person’s work
- A work plan is important in time effectiveness and productivity. Create a work schedule and communicate the work hours and be sure that both of you stick to the work time
- For both of you and your husband as you work from home, having a work life balance is also important for productivity. Schedule for a date night per work out of the house to maintain work-life balance
- Keep revising your work rules to see they are serving both of your needs. Have a frequent check-in to see if both of you are comfortable with the arrangement or there are things to change
- You and your husband will find that sometimes working away in another location to be helpful to your productivity. Take turns with your husband to work away from home. It could be from the physical office, co-working space, library, coffee shop, etc.
- If you and your husband both work from home, but it is not working out, try a rest or a change. When it gets too much, either of you can move out to your family or a friend to give the other space
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