Working from home during spring break? Keep your cool with this expert advice

Every year, spring break ushers in the end of the winter season with a much-needed rest from the constant responsibilities. At least, that’s true if you are in school.

If you’re a parent of young children, spring break can mean the doubling of your daily duties at home while you juggle your workload. From organizing child care to keeping track of your kids’ activities to never-ending snack requests, this vacation from school can feel like the opposite for parents.

And for those who work from home, these issues only compound. With a little bit of effort and a lot of flexibility, you can maintain the joy that comes with no school and stay on task with your responsibilities.

“First, I would not think of this as a ‘predicament,’” Stacy Buchanan, an assistant professor of nursing at Emory University told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Think of this as an opportunity to create memories and spend time during the week with your kids, which you typically would not see during these hours.”

According to Buchanan, parents should try to include their children in the decision making for how they want to spend spring break, allowing them to feel control over the unstructured week.

“While you may not use their advice, it is a way for them to see what your job is like and also feel connected to you as you work,” she said. “Again, think positively and welcome the disruptions to your work schedule.”

If you weren’t able to make big travel plans this spring break, finding a fun activity to do after work or during the weekend can add an extra layer of excitement to the week.

“Perhaps a staycation with a local fun activity on Saturday or Sunday prior to returning to school would also provide a highlight all could look forward to,” Buchanan told the AJC, going on to say the activity can be as simple as a trip to Piedmont Park or the Beltline.

Motherly, a publication focused on parenting, recommends parents utilize positive reinforcement as a way to reduce stress on themselves and their families.

“Set expectations, and be sure to reward them for being followed at this age,” Motherly recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic when many parents began to work remotely. “And when you’re done working or can take a break, set a timer on your phone for 30 minutes and lavish that kid with attention.”

Being a full-time parent while working full time is never easy, but there are a few tips you should have in your tool kit to reduce the pressure on your spring break week.

Designate a kid-free space

Many parents utilized this idea during the COVID-19 pandemic, but if your home has gone back to “normal” since then, it’s never too late to quickly create a space just for you.

Tell your kids that the area where you work, whether it’s an at-home office or a shared living space, is off-limits for certain parts of the day. If you don’t want to keep your kids from the space all day, you can implement these rules only for meetings or specific times.

Creating a kid-free space in your home can teach your little ones about boundaries while allowing you to get more work done smoothly.

Relax screen time rules

Like most parents, you probably worry about the effects that too much screen time can have on your kid. While those are all valid, rules can be relaxed for spring break.

Allowing for more screen time can add a fun dimension to your child’s break from school if this is rare for them, while also giving you more space to get work done.

If you’re trying to stay away from extended screen time, enlist your children to think of at-home activities you can help organize for the workday.

“Find fun activities or games they can do while you are working,” Buchanan recommended. “Create an indoor scavenger hunt on rainy days.”

Tag team with other parents

One element of creating spring break fun is allowing your child to be social. Coordinate with other parents and find the best times to arrange a playdate.

Adding a playdate onto your already busy schedule may not be ideal, however, it’s an easy way to make spring break more exciting without adding too much stress — and having another parent to help out is always nice.

Motherly recommends tag-teaming with your spouse or partner, utilizing any flexibility in your schedule.

“I schedule phone calls during my husband’s flex time or in the evenings,” one parent recommended to Motherly. “You’d be surprised how many people are amenable to evening phone calls.”

Use breaks to spend time outside

A few days into spring break and everyone will need some fresh air. Use your breaks from work to take your family on walks, bike rides or any other outdoor activity.

“If you are able, sit outside and work while the kids play at the park or in the yard,” Buchanan said.

She also noted that lunch break is a great time for parents to maximize quality time spent outdoors with their kids.

“If possible, ask for a shortened workday or extended lunch breaks to allow time for midday play,” Buchanan said. “Perhaps a trip to the library to pick out a few books to start the week.”

“It’s not the amount of time spent but the actual time spent,” she explained. “I can recall my mother taking us roller-skating and then for ice cream during breaks, while it may have happened only one day out of that week, that is what I remember.”