Coworking as a Parent

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Written by Charity Estes

Being a parent is my greatest joy and purpose, but adding work to the mix brings in new challenges. If you’re reading this, you probably understand what I mean. Maintaining a work-life balance is important, and you need to make your time a priority. One way I enjoy creating a balance is though keeping my work life completely separate from my home life, and Cornerstone Coworking makes this possible!

Here are just a few reasons why a coworking space plays a vital role in maintaining a work-life balance and a little sanity:

Professional Meetings

I’m a homebody – plain and simple. Anyone who knows me can vouch for that. However, having kids means my house is never as clean as I would like it to be. I couldn’t imagine having clients over while preparing for the meeting, entertaining kids, and keeping my house presentable. Not to mention keeping my house stocked with snacks other than chocolate milk and animal crackers. But this is where coworking comes in. Having the ability to separate two things I love: work and family, helps me step away from the distractions that one provides the other. This also helps me feel like a better mom in the sense that once I get home, I can step away from work and not feel distracted from my babies.

Adult Interaction

We have all experienced cabin fever in our lives – even us homebodies. After so many days of not leaving your house, wearing only pajamas/“workout clothes,” and having your couch as a “work desk,” it’s good for a person to put on normal clothes. Also, needing to network is a great excuse for getting out of the house to have quality, adult interactions.

Time to focus

As parents, we are hyper aware of our surroundings and know the location of many people at any given time. Trying to focus on emails, calls and other tasks while hearing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Frozen on repeat in the background is extremely distracting. It feels like a mental vacation when I can step away and not worry about which kid is coloring on the walls or if the other one is eating dog treats.

 

Like I said before, my kids are one of my favorite parts of life. When I’m home with them, I never want to leave. But I also understand the importance of stepping away, focusing on something I am passionate about, and setting an example for my children to follow. People are important, they are what make our world exciting and fun. It’s important to experience them and the relationships they bring in all of their forms, which essentially, is what coworking and parenting is all about!