Alex is a software engineer who works from home three days a week and goes into the office two days a week. At first, this seemed like the perfect arrangement—he could cut down on commuting, spend more time with his kids, and still enjoy the perks of an office environment when needed. But reality quickly set in.
At home, Alex found himself constantly interrupted. His wife would assume that since he was home, he could pick up extra household tasks or watch the kids for a bit. His seven-year-old daughter would burst into his office mid-Zoom call, and the moment he got into a deep debugging session, someone needed his attention. One particularly stressful day, he snapped—telling his family that if things didn’t change, he might as well go back to the office full-time just to get some peace and quiet.
Alex knew he needed to set clearer boundaries, but how?
Step 1: Creating a Dedicated Workspace
One of Alex’s biggest challenges was that his home office doubled as a playroom. His daughter saw it as her space, too. This meant constant distractions—whether it was toys strewn across the floor or impromptu visits while he was on calls.
Many parents in similar situations recommended moving his workspace to a more private area. Some possible solutions included:
- Setting up a desk in a bedroom or unused corner of the house
- Moving the kids’ toys elsewhere so the office became a dedicated work space
- Using noise-canceling headphones to block out distractions
- Going to a co-working space or nearby library a few days a week for deep-focus tasks
A fellow remote-working dad shared: “I thought I could make it work at the dining table, but I was wrong. Once I moved my desk to the bedroom and closed the door, everything changed.”
Step 2: Setting Clear Expectations with Family
Alex realized that his family didn’t fully understand the work part of working from home. His wife, who had never worked remotely, assumed he had more flexibility than he actually did. His daughter, seeing him physically present, didn’t understand why he couldn’t play with her.
To address this, Alex:
- Had an honest conversation with his wife about what his workday actually looked like
- Created a visual cue system (like a “Do Not Disturb” sign) to help his daughter understand when he was unavailable
- Committed to fully engaging after work so his family didn’t feel like they were losing him all day
One parent explained how they handled this: “I made a ‘traffic light’ sign for my office door—red means do not disturb, yellow means knock first, and green means come in. It took a little time, but now my kids respect it.”
Step 3: Enforcing Boundaries with Work and Home Life
One of the trickiest parts of working from home is that the lines between work time and family time get blurred. Alex found himself answering work emails after dinner and also getting pulled into housework during work hours. Neither side was getting his full attention.
Some strategies that helped him enforce balance:
- Blocking off time on his work calendar for deep-focus tasks
- Silencing notifications after work hours to avoid the temptation to check emails
- Setting clear rules with his family—for example, only disturbing him for urgent matters
- Committing to a hard stop at the end of the workday and doing something symbolic to transition (like going for a walk or changing clothes)
A work-from-home dad shared: “My rule is simple—during work hours, only blood or fire is an emergency. My wife and kids learned quickly that knocking on my office door for anything else wouldn’t get them what they wanted.”
Step 4: Finding the Right Balance
For Alex, working from home wasn’t about being more available—it was about being more present when he wasn’t working. By making small changes, he was able to:
- Reduce his daily interruptions and increase focus
- Improve communication with his wife and daughter
- Keep his flexible schedule without feeling constantly pulled in two directions
Not every solution works for every family. Some dads find that going into the office every day is actually easier, while others thrive with fully remote work. The key is figuring out what balance works best for you and your family.
One dad summed it up perfectly: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that working from home doesn’t mean blending work and home—it means being intentional about both.”
Final Thoughts: Making WFH Work for You
If you’re struggling with work-from-home boundaries, here are some takeaways: ✔️ Create a dedicated workspace that minimizes interruptions ✔️ Have clear conversations with your family about expectations ✔️ Set hard boundaries for work hours vs. personal time ✔️ Use signals (signs, closed doors, or schedule blocks) to communicate availability ✔️ Find what works best for your unique situation—whether that’s hybrid work, a co-working space, or a more structured home office setup
If you’re a working parent, how do you manage work-from-home boundaries? Share your experiences—we’re all figuring this out together.
