7 Tips For Writers Who Are Also Parents with Kids at Home
You can still make the most of your writing when your kids are learning remotely.
A lot of parents these days are faced with the challenge of working from home and having to take care of their kids’ school situation. Juggling work and kids’ school can be tough. As a homeschooling mom and a freelance writer, I feel the pressure.
Being a writer on Medium, my goal is to write consistently while also working on other freelance projects. One thing I learned from experience — it can get overwhelmingly stressful. However, while you can’t avoid stress, at least you can do something about it to minimize it so you can continue to write. If you don’t take control of stress in the first place, you can get burned out easily.
When your mind and body are overly stressed — you feel it. You sense pressure in your head, tension around your eyes, your back muscles are aching from too much sitting in one position.
Your body is sending you cues that it is time to recharge.
I’ll share some tips on how you can get the most out of your writing.
1.) Write when you are the most productive.
You write your best when you are the most productive. Figure out the times during the day when your productivity soars, and you can get the most out of your writing.
Do you feel you write better in the morning before kids wake up? Then that is your time to shine! To stay on top of my writing goals, I wake up at least an hour before my kids so I can have time to write in peace. If you’re a night owl and prefer writing in the evening, then write after the kids go to bed. Figure out what works best for you.
2.) Work in little time intervals.
I find the best way to write is to break up your work into smaller chunks. Avail yourself to short time breaks during which you can get a little bit of something done.
For example, during the day, if your kids are online either on Zoom or doing their schoolwork assignments, use that little bit of time to sit down at your computer.
- You can think about your writing ideas.
- You can also use that time to check and respond to your e-mails or phone calls.
- You can put a few ideas down for your next article.
It can be as little as 10–15 minutes, but you’ll be amazed at how much you can get done within that time frame.
3.) Always have coffee around.
I like to keep a coffee mug filled with coffee at my work station. Taking sips of coffee throughout the day perks me up and helps me to keep my mind sharp and focus on my tasks. Every time I move from my work station to my kids’ education room, I bring it with me. Of course, don’t forget to refill it when you run out of it.
4.) Use the power of meditation.
Writing for a prolonged time can be nerve-racking. I find stepping away from my laptop for short meditation breaks during the day helps me release mental stress. I do that every time I feel the tension around my eyes, or I need to stretch my back muscles.
Just find a quiet room, lay on a couch or your bed, close your eyes, and think about nothing for about 10–15 minutes. Make sure your kids are occupied with some activity and your session is not interrupted. Take deep breaths as you relax your mind and body. Do some arm and leg stretches. Make it part of your routine, and you’ll start feeling the pressure go away.
5.) Change your environment.
If you’ve been cooped up in your home office all day hearing nothing but fingers tapping on the keyboard, it’s time to switch things up.
Step away from your computer and go outside for a nature walk. You can take your kids along with you so they get their exercise together with you. A simple change in the environment will help you unwind and recharge your brain. Studies show that as little as a 20-min walk in nature can help you combat stress. It will also fill you up with inspiration and creativity, as well as help you avoid that dreaded writer’s block.
6.) Switch around your writing tasks.
As with anything in life, doing one thing over and over again can get tedious and boring. If you were to eat the same delicious meal for the whole week, no matter how pleasing it is to your palate, at the end of the week you’ll start craving MacDonalds.
The same thing goes for writing — focusing on one single writing task will feel dull after a while. You don’t have to finish one writing assignment before moving on to the next. It’s totally fine to switch between your writing tasks as long as you are aware of them and don’t lose track of any of them. And since having kids at home makes it harder to focus on one particular writing task, switching your focus on a different task for some time makes more sense.
Go ahead and switch things around. Start a different writing project, and put the other one aside for a while. That technique also works if you’ve been stuck with one idea for the last few days. Toss it aside and come back to it later.
For instance, when I write on one particular topic, halfway through I put it aside and come back to it later. I don’t necessarily finish it in one day before moving on to my next one. That strategy helps me to accomplish two things:
- It frees up my mind and helps to prevent writer’s block.
- It allows me not to lose sight of the next topic I want to write on.
When you return to your previous article, you’d be surprised how much more substance you can add to it. Put in more fresh ideas or elaborate on the previous ones. You’ll also be able to look at your writing with a fresh pair of eyes and edit your draft better.
7.) Choose light healthy snacks.
Eating a heavy meal all at once can take motivation away from you and harm your writing productivity. Instead, choose to eat light but nutrient-dense snacks throughout the day. To sustain my energy during the day, I don’t go by traditional breakfast/lunch/dinner; rather I’d snack more often on healthy snacks, which helps to keep my energy levels high.
It’s especially important to be light on lunch. You’re at more risk to succumb to a writing slump in the afternoon, especially when your body is overly stressed and you eat a heavy meal. For me, I always feel satisfied with a light protein-rich snack and a piece of fruit. Stay away from high-carb foods and empty sugars. Those foods will drain your energy and exacerbate your stress.
Writing doesn’t have to be put on hold because your situation changes. We all get busy when life throws us a curveball. Having kids at home certainly makes it harder. The key is to re-adjust and learn how to deal with stress, so you can stay productive and stay on top of your writing goals.
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