5 Skills Parents Have Learned Whilst Working From Home

For those of us that were able to work from home during the pandemic, the setup brought certain challenges when it came to handling the demands of the workplace as well as those of our little ones. 

Home from school, they were faced with remote education and frankly, boredom, whilst parents worked away from dining tables, sofas and home offices. 

Schools have since re-opened but many parents are still working from home, whether full or part-time, meaning our new normal has shifted drastically. But with our new virtual setup has come many learning opportunities – these are just five valuable skills many parents, including myself, have adopted since WFH began. 

1. Patience

We love our little ones, but sometimes they can try our patience! 

And so too can our jobs – meaning it’s easy to see why many parents struggled with their new working conditions. 
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But thankfully, juggling these challenges simultaneously has proven to some of us what we’re really capable of when it comes to handling and managing pressure.

​2. Self-motivation 

One of the biggest challenges of working from home is staying on track whilst surrounded by the comfortable distractions of the household. 

But with evidence that productivity has maintained or even increased due to home working, it appears that we’ve mastered it. 

These skills are transferrable and great for those who love to learn and develop. Whether it’s picking up a new hobby or an online degree course with ARU Distance Learning, your ability to work independently and maintain your schedule against distractions will be key in helping you advance. 

​3. Boundaries 

​A healthy work-life balance has always been difficult, but working from home the boundaries really can blur.

But as the pandemic changed our way of life, many parents discovered a newfound flexibility. And with this, it seemed our priorities were changing too. Instead of putting work first, many of us learned to say no, set boundaries and prioritise the needs of ourselves and our families.  
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This is a valuable life skill and one that will serve you well in your personal life as well as your professional realm, helping you achieve that all-important balance.  

​4. Communication

Communication is what makes or breaks a team.

And while it has always been important in the workplace, clear communication and effective collaboration were even more difficult to achieve under our remote circumstances. 

Between Zoom calls, emails and instant messages, the loss of face-to-face interaction meant teams had to adapt. Some workers even found themselves starting new roles from home during the pandemic, missing out on vital opportunities to meet their new teams.
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But this challenge only strengthened communication skills for many of us, enabling us to build working relationships under exceptional circumstances. The focus on employee mental health and wellbeing also gave a lot of us the opportunity to be more open with our collegues about our home situation and mental health challenges. 

​5. Adapting your routine 

With breakaway from working from home, many companies became more flexible on the 9-5. 

And with this newfound flexibility, many of us discovered new ways of working that not only fit better around the school run, home management or other commitments, but also gave us the freedom to capitalise on those times of day when we are most productive. 

For instance, if you’re a morning person, an early start can make all the difference, whilst for a night owl, those extra couple of hours of an evening can help you get a head start. 
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Are you a parent who worked from home during the pandemic? You’ve probably mastered these five skills. 

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