Does your professionalism ebb and flow with the changing seasons and school breaks? Find it harder to keep that crisp edge with a house full of energetic kids (plus an added playmate or two) or with preschoolers 24/7 year round? I’m here to tell you that regardless of the time of year it IS possible. What’s the secret? A bit of pre-planning.
Pre-planning from snacks prepared ahead in the right grab-n-go size, to having a supply of rainy day projects in a special box – pulled out for those moments you need to really focus for 20 minutes of uninterrupted bliss, to covering the desktop in shaving cream for a little lime scented finger-painting. Taking the time to line up some activities can be such a stress reducer and an empowerment tool that enables you to do what you do best without worries. No one knows your child and his attention span like you do so plan accordingly (and individually).
One of the biggest stealers of professionalism surrounds phone calls with child noises in the background so let’s review some solutions:
Pre-planned phone time: Most teleseminars are 60 minutes with phone consults being 30-60 minutes and isn’t it perfect that children’s videos come in those same time frames. There’s no guilt in allowing your child to enjoy his favorite movie for this snippet of time while you teach a seminar or participate in one. Remember to keep the sound down or better yet use the tv in the adjoining room. Rather not do the video thing? The art/craft box, Play Doh, Legos, and books are equally quiet alternatives. A favorite here, when my son was young, was to line up clothesbaskets in a straight line and let him toss sponges or sock balls into each one. Take a step back and try again. Each turn he’d take another step back and continue tossing. If your child still takes a nap try to schedule calls around sleep times.
Remind the youngsters that when they see Mom on the phone or with the headsets on it’s time to use their quiet inside voice and wait to ask questions or to show you something. Kids are very visual so go ahead and set the kitchen timer for the call’s length. They’ll see the time decreasing knowing it won’t be long till you’re totally there’s again. The timer works well if you’re pressed to finish up a project and need another 20 minutes. The key is to keep the time bites small and shower the child with praise and attention when the time is up.
And what if your child does make noise that’s heard? It’s okay, really. No need to panic, just explain that your child happens to be in the office today and then continue with your conversation. In today’s working office it’s understood that there will be days that a child will need to be in the office for whatever reason. It’s not necessary to explain you work from a home office if this isn’t something you haven’t previously shared.
Pre-planning helps you say good-bye to the stresses that rob you of being the constant professional that you are – keeping that image intact.
Great post Ruth. As a mother of two and a entrepreneur, I can relate to this. Planning is crucial to the balancing of children and maintaining that professionalism. It is easier for me then some moms as my husband, Jason and I run the company together so we can plan our calls opposite of each other and have the other spend time with the kids. Having a home office does not mean you cannot still maintain that professionalism that a office outside the home has. It just takes more organization and time management. Well said!
Thanks for stopping by, Kimberly. It does take some planning and if a noise is heard, in the end it’s rarely a deal breaker. Acknowledge it and move on with the business at hand. I’ve talked with some that are hesitant to do calls because they’re afraid background noises will be heard when many on the calls are experiencing the same.