Top 10 Work-From-Home Tips for the Parent-Lawyer

David Z. Hoffman
Attorney, RLI Insurance Company

1. Put your phone away during meals.
2. Develop a regular schedule with your child and partner, M-F — Let them know when to expect you to close your computer for the night. Meet that expectation whenever possible.
3. Pair at least one short break time with your children each day. — Examples include a short walk, dog walk, or other scheduled light exercise.
4. Daily P.E. class in your backyard — HIGHLY recommended for grade school children; wear a whistle for fun and to blow off steam.
5. Schedule daily self-care time.
6. Wake up slightly earlier prior to March 2020. — Even 30 extra minutes can make one's day extra-productive. (NOTE: the time gained does NOT have to be spent on lawyering.)
7. Moderate your caffeine intake.
8. Moderate your alcohol intake.
9. Plan to prepare a few (simple) meals from scratch each week with your kids. This helps with your shopping list, and provides a "special" time for your children to look forward to periodically throughout the week. — For example, pizza-making.
10. On Sundays, take at least one (brief) nap.