7 Essential Time Management Hacks for Remote Workers with Young Children That Will Transform Your Life!

By a fellow parent who’s been there, done that, and survived (mostly).

Let’s be real for a moment.

You’re a remote worker.

You’re a parent.

And you’re likely trying to be both at the exact same time, in the exact same house, with a little human who thinks your keyboard is a drum set and your important video call is the perfect moment to ask for a snack.

I know that feeling.

I’ve lived it.

I’ve had a toddler crawl into my lap during a client presentation, a preschooler demand a juice box in the middle of writing a crucial report, and a baby who saw my focused silence as the perfect cue for a full-volume cry-fest.

It’s a special kind of chaos, isn’t it?

A chaos that can make you feel like you’re failing at both your job and your parenting duties.

The guilt is real, the stress is palpable, and the exhaustion?

It’s a deep, bone-weary exhaustion that coffee can’t fix.

But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be this way.

After years of trial and error, of late-night work sessions and early-morning meltdowns (both mine and the kids’), I’ve developed a system.

A survival guide, really.

This isn’t just some abstract, corporate-speak advice you’ll find on a generic business blog.

This is the real-deal, in-the-trenches, “my kids are literally coloring on the wall right now” wisdom that you’ve been craving.

We’re going to dive into 7 powerful, no-nonsense time management strategies that will help you not just survive, but actually thrive in your dual role.

You’ll learn how to set boundaries, how to make the most of those precious quiet moments, and how to finally stop feeling like you’re constantly playing catch-up.

Are you ready to reclaim your sanity?

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents: Your Roadmap to Sanity

1. The Golden Rule: Time Blocking is Your New Best Friend

2. The Two-List System: Differentiating “Work” from “Parenting”

3. The Power of “Chunking”: Making Micro-Progress When You Can’t Have Macro-Focus

4. The “Work in the Margins” Method: The Secret to Finding Hidden Time

5. The Art of Delegation (and Saying No): Your Lifeline to a Lighter Load

6. The “Kid-Powered” Work Session: Turning Your Children into Unlikely Coworkers

7. The “End of Day” Ritual: How to Log Off and Actually Be Present

1. The Golden Rule: Time Blocking is Your New Best Friend for Remote Work

If you take only one thing away from this entire article, let it be this: **Time blocking is your new best friend.**

You’ve probably heard of it before, but let me tell you, when you have little ones running around, it goes from a productivity tip to a survival tool.

Think of your day not as a long, continuous river of tasks, but as a series of distinct, walled-off pools.

You are the lifeguard, and you decide which pool gets your attention at what time.

The goal is to intentionally schedule specific blocks of time for specific activities.

And I mean *everything*.

Don’t just schedule “work.”

Schedule “work on Q3 report” from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM.

Schedule “check and respond to emails” from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM.

And, just as importantly, schedule “play with blocks with Liam” from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

Schedule “laundry and lunch prep” from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

When you’re in a “work” block, you are *only* working.

You turn off social media notifications, put your phone on silent, and you tell yourself (and anyone else who will listen, like a spouse or partner) that you are unavailable.

When you’re in a “parenting” block, you are *only* parenting.

That means no checking your phone, no “just one more email.”

You are fully present, playing, reading, or just sitting on the floor making car noises.

This isn’t about perfection; it’s about intentionality.

The kids will interrupt.

The dog will bark.

The schedule will get blown up.

That’s okay.

The beauty of time blocking is that when an interruption happens, you know exactly what you were supposed to be doing, and you can easily get back to it.

You’re not lost in the endless sea of tasks.

You’re just temporarily paused.

And you’ll find that when you dedicate specific blocks of time to your children, they often feel more secure and are less likely to demand your attention during your work blocks.

This isn’t a magic wand, but it’s pretty close.

Discover More Time Management Tips from Forbes

2. The Two-List System: Differentiating “Work” from “Parenting”

When your work and home life are blended into one chaotic stew, it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in an endless list of to-dos.

The key to managing this is to separate the lists.

I’m not talking about a work to-do list and a home to-do list.

I’m talking about the “Work-Me” list and the “Parent-Me” list.

The Work-Me list is for all your professional tasks: “Finish the client presentation,” “Schedule the team meeting,” “Respond to emails from the boss.”

The Parent-Me list is for all your parenting/home management tasks: “Meal prep for the week,” “Read the book for school,” “Schedule the dentist appointment,” “Figure out a fun activity for the afternoon.”

This might sound simple, but the mental separation is incredibly powerful.

It helps you mentally switch gears and prevents the “oh, I should be doing that other thing right now” feeling that plagues every remote parent.

When you’re in your work block, you look at the Work-Me list.

You don’t think about the laundry piling up or the fact that you still need to buy milk.

And when you’re in your parenting block, you look at the Parent-Me list.

You don’t think about the deadline for that report or the email from your colleague.

This system creates a mental and emotional boundary.

It helps you be fully present in whatever role you are in at that moment.

And let’s face it, your kids can tell when you’re only half there.

Being fully present, even for just 30 minutes, is far more valuable than being half-present for two hours.

And your work will be better for it, too.

You’ll be more focused and efficient because you’ve given your brain permission to ignore the other half of your life for a short period of time.

Read More about Effective Time Management from Harvard Business Review

3. The Power of “Chunking”: Making Micro-Progress When You Can’t Have Macro-Focus for Your Remote Work

Let’s face it, deep, uninterrupted, multi-hour work sessions are a fantasy for most remote parents.

Your kids are like tiny, adorable little landmines, and you never know when one is going to go off.

This is where the power of “chunking” comes in.

Instead of trying to sit down and write a 10-page report in one go, you break it down into smaller, manageable chunks.

Maybe you work on the introduction during nap time (if you have one, you lucky duck).

Maybe you research the data you need for 15 minutes while your toddler is engrossed in a particularly exciting episode of “Bluey.”

Maybe you write the conclusion after the kids are in bed.

The key is to identify tasks that can be broken down into these small, bite-sized pieces.

The goal isn’t to finish the whole thing in one session.

The goal is to make a little bit of progress, whenever and wherever you can.

This approach is also great for mental health.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a massive task, you get the satisfaction of checking off a smaller, completed chunk.

It’s a series of small wins that build up to one big victory.

This is the opposite of multitasking, which, as we all know, is a myth.

Instead, you are single-tasking for short, focused bursts.

This is how you get things done when your life is constantly being interrupted.

It’s a way of accepting the reality of your situation without letting it completely derail your professional life.

4. The “Work in the Margins” Method: The Secret to Finding Hidden Time

This is one of my favorite secrets to **time management** as a remote worker with young children.

Most of us think of our workday as a solid block from 9 to 5, but when you have kids, that’s just not how it works.

Instead, you need to learn to “work in the margins.”

What does this mean?

It means identifying and utilizing those small, often overlooked pockets of time throughout your day.

Think about it: the 15 minutes before your child wakes up.

The 20 minutes they’re happily playing in the backyard.

The 10 minutes they’re taking a bath and you’re just sitting there, supervising.

You can use these tiny chunks of time for quick, low-concentration tasks.

Respond to a few emails.

Organize your project files.

Write a draft of a short social media post.

These are the tasks that don’t require a ton of focus but can easily pile up and create a feeling of overwhelm.

By tackling them in the margins, you free up your more dedicated work blocks for deep, high-concentration work.

I’m not saying you should be chained to your desk 24/7.

The opposite, actually.

This method is about being smart and strategic, not about being a workaholic.

It’s about taking control of your day, rather than letting the constant interruptions and demands of your kids dictate your schedule.

Find More Tips for Working Parents at Verywell Family

5. The Art of Delegation (and Saying No): Your Lifeline to a Lighter Remote Work Load

You cannot do it all.

Let me repeat that for the people in the back: **YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL.**

As parents, we often feel this immense pressure to be the “perfect” employee, the “perfect” parent, and the “perfect” homemaker.

But that’s a recipe for burnout, not success.

This is where the art of delegation comes in, and it has two parts.

First, delegate to your partner.

If you have a partner, they need to be an active participant in this journey.

It’s not “Mom’s job to do the laundry and Dad’s job to mow the lawn.”

It’s “Let’s figure out a system that works for both of us and our kids.”

Maybe your partner takes the kids for two hours in the evening so you can get a focused work session in.

Maybe you take the morning shift, and they take the afternoon shift.

Communicate openly and honestly about your needs and struggles.

You are a team, and this is a team sport.

Second, delegate to others.

Can you afford a cleaning service once a month?

Can you get groceries delivered?

Can you order takeout once a week on the night of a big deadline?

These aren’t luxuries; they’re sanity-savers.

If a task can be delegated, and you can afford to do so, do it.

The money you spend on these services is an investment in your mental health and your ability to be a better parent and employee.

And finally, learn to say no.

Say no to that extra project at work that you don’t have the bandwidth for.

Say no to a school committee you just don’t have time for right now.

Saying no is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength and a deep understanding of your own limits.

6. The “Kid-Powered” Work Session: Turning Your Children into Unlikely Coworkers for Your Remote Work Day

This might sound crazy, but hear me out.

Instead of seeing your children as a constant obstacle to your work, try to find ways to incorporate them into a “work session.”

Now, I’m not suggesting you have them do your accounting (unless they’re a math whiz, in which case, go for it!).

I’m talking about structured activities that keep them occupied and engaged while you work nearby.

Create a “Work Station” for them right next to your desk.

Fill it with special toys, coloring books, or activities they only get to use during your work blocks.

This makes it a special, coveted time for them, not a time they have to compete for your attention.

Or, try a “Work Timer.”

Set a timer for 20 minutes and tell them, “Okay, Mommy is going to work on her computer for 20 minutes.

When the timer goes off, we can have a dance party!”

Kids respond incredibly well to timers and clear expectations.

It turns a vague “Mommy’s busy” into a concrete, understandable timeframe.

For older kids, you can even gamify it.

“If you can read quietly for 30 minutes, you get a special treat later.”

This strategy isn’t about ignoring your kids; it’s about setting clear, positive boundaries that allow both you and them to get what you need.

And hey, sometimes, those little giggles in the background are just the white noise you need to get the job done.

Get More Insights for Working Parents at Fatherly

7. The “End of Day” Ritual: How to Log Off and Actually Be Present as a Remote Worker

The biggest danger of remote work is the complete blurring of the lines between work and home.

Your office is literally in your house.

It’s so easy to just “check one more email” after dinner, or to let a work thought consume your brain while you’re trying to read a bedtime story.

You need an “End of Day” ritual.

This is a conscious act that signals to your brain that the workday is over and it’s time to be a parent, a partner, or just a person.

It could be something as simple as shutting down your laptop and putting it away in a drawer or a closet.

It could be a walk around the block after you’ve signed off.

It could be changing out of your “work clothes” (even if they were just sweats) into your “home clothes.”

This ritual creates a physical and mental transition.

It’s a way of leaving the “office” even when you never actually left your house.

And when the workday is officially over, be present.

Put your phone away.

Listen to your kids when they tell you about their day, no matter how mundane their stories might seem.

Lie on the floor and let them climb all over you.

These moments are fleeting, and your kids will remember your presence far more than they will remember the clean dishes or the perfectly organized closet.

You’re not just a remote worker.

You’re a parent.

And learning to manage your time is not just about getting more done; it’s about being able to fully step into both of those roles without feeling like you’re constantly pulled in two directions.

It’s about finding peace in the chaos, and that, my friend, is a victory worth celebrating.

Frequently Asked Questions about Time Management for Remote Workers

Time management, remote work, parenting, productivity, work-life balance