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Eight tips for dads working from home

July 22, 2007 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

If you’ve found a new job you can do from home to spend more time around the kids, congratulations. And even if you’re still just thinking of it, here are some tips that will help you put the particular challenges of home work in perspective.

  1. Hang a Do Not Disturb Sign. Only women can work and take care of kids at the same time. It’s a big generalization, but dads just aren’t as good at multi-tasking or breaking up the day into little 15 minute chunks of time. We need longer stretches without interruptions to be productive.

  2. You’re going to need a sitter if you’re going to be productive at home. The good news? If you don’t have to travel or leave the house for work, you may be able to get by with lower priced neighborhood kids (12+) helping out to mind and distract the younger kids while you work. Don’t feel guilty if you do use help to take care of the kids while you’re slaving away in your home office. Working from home does not mean they will be playing under your desk a la John F. Kennedy while you solve the world’s problems.

  3. Get some equipment. You’re going to need some industrial strength file cabinets. Ikea has nice-looking ones that are cheaper than what you’ll find at the Office Depot. Consider establishing your office out of high traffic areas, or at least buying a file cabinet with locks to prevent young kids from pouring juice into your files.

  4. Get the skinny on taxes and deductions. Computers that do double-duty can’t be counted as business expenses. Go to www.irs.gov/business/small for more information.

  5. Establish tech support and a very strong computer backup system. Take it from a
    “hard drive loser,” paying mega-bucks to resurrect a destroyed hard drive with no backup is a frustrating waste of money. If you have a PC, many people recommend the Geek Squad. We recommend a Mac. They have a cheap 3-year tech support plan, but the machines mostly run themselves.

  6. Set some boundaries. If you’re staying at home to be with the kids, try to make sure the plan still allows you to spend time with them. If working from home is too stressful, either financially or for lifestyle reasons, it may not be your best option for spending quality time with the kids.

  7. Keep up your network. Stay in touch with friends in the traditional workforce in case you need to go back. You may want to consider starting an online network for work-at-home dads since nothing like that really exists.

  8. Take care of yourself. Don’t make working from home an excuse for all-day snacking and avoiding the gym. Program time in your schedule just as you would if you had a traditional job.

Filed Under: Dad

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

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Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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Welcome to another episode of Great Dad Talks, where we dive into the world of modern fatherhood with Odeani McBean. Together, we delve into modern fatherhood, exploring the transformative journey that led him to become a dedicated coach for dads. Discover how he turned personal challenges into a mission to support other fathers, helping them find balance and value in their important roles. Whether you’re a seasoned dad or new to the journey, this conversation offers valuable perspectives and inspiration.

Check out Odeani’s website threesixfivedad.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

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