How to Balance Working from Home with a Newborn

You may be a seasoned multitasking professional, but caring for a new baby and trying to work from home is a whole new level.

Adjusting to life with a new baby is challenging in all circumstances, but doing it during a pandemic makes it even more difficult to seek help and resources.

Fortunately, you are not alone and this time is only temporary. To guide you through the most stressful days, it is important to stay organized and, most importantly, flexible! Here are some tips to help you make up for the chaos in your life.

Schedule lunchtime

New parents know that the best time to work is while your baby is sleeping. However, it is even more helpful if you know exactly when your baby will be napping so that you can schedule work calls, zoom meetings, and deadlines during that time.

Instead of letting your baby decide on lunchtime, put them down at the same time each day to create a schedule for a nap.

Use baby wrap

For small babies, you can safely use a swaddle or sling to keep them tight and still have two hands to do your job with.

Newborns love to be around you, where they can hear your heartbeat and watch your facial expressions. You don't have to worry about them or look after them as they are always with you.

If they're not in the box, you can put them on a swing nearby for toddlers that will gently rock them while they're awake.

Rent child care for the mornings

Many parents who work from home rely on regular child care. Finding childcare during a pandemic is not an easy task. However, if you know someone you trust, having them watch your newborn for several hours each morning or afternoon while you do most of your work can be a good solution.

Alternatively, you can call in the baby's grandparents or other family members to look after them.

Take care of yourself

Despite our best efforts, no one can do everything. You have an enormous amount on your plate right now and no one expects perfection.

If your job is very demanding, now is a good time to speak to your boss and meet expectations. It is better that they know how to be flexible than anticipating tasks that you may not be able to do while you are caring for your baby.

Take care of yourself, and make sure that you do at least 30 minutes of self-care a day to practice meditation, exercise, or do something else that you love.

When you feel like you may not be able to balance everything, take a deep breath and remember that this too will pass. You are strong and you will get through this!

About the author:

Rae Steinbach is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined degree in International Relations and Chinese. After living and working overseas in China for some time, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue to curate high quality content. Rae loves travel, food, and writing (of course).