COVID-19 How to Establish Schedules for Home, School and Work
We have been at home for a few weeks now, settling in after COVID-19 news that staying home is important. While the first week or so may have felt like snow days, it’s time to settle into schedules that help you stay productive and positive. Schedules are repeated patterns that we use to empower our priorities. Right now our priorities can be simple. We can embrace our new normal by patterning our days.
Basic concepts
Setting up your own schedule can be baffling to some. It is creating structure for yourself, which you may not be comfortable with or skilled at. For some it’s natural to do. These basic concepts can help you craft your schedule.
- Prioritize what is most important first. Right now that is simple, that being you have work and your kids have school. First this in first to your schedule. Depending on your own work and your kids’ schools, this may set your schedule directly.
- Know your own personal strengths. Are you a morning person or not? Take this quiz on The Power of When to know what works best. Most of us know this from all our personal experiences. Use your best time of the day to do your most important work.
- Be sure to include self care, exercise, meals, bedtimes and reset time in your schedule. These routines help us be our best selves.
- We tend to be overly ambitious about our schedules. Choose time blocks that help you keep focused and productive. Too many time blocks and too much transition deter productivity. Use time blocking to help you create a schedule that works well. For example, choose a morning and afternoon 2 hour block rather than two one hour blocks each morning and afternoon.
- Post your schedule for everyone to know the plan for the day. Talk about your schedule at your family meeting, emphasize the value, and keep everyone on track with clocks and timers.
Sample School for a Morning Person
| Monday – Friday Schedule | Morning Person Sample Schedule |
| 6:00 AM | Wake up
Reflection time or Meditation |
| 6:30 AM | Shower and dress |
| 7:00 AM | Wake kids |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:00 AM | Daily exercise/Listen to a podcast |
| 8:30 AM | |
| 9:00 AM | Work and School start |
| 9:30 AM | |
| 10:00 AM | |
| 10:30 AM | Break |
| 11:00 AM | Work and school continue |
| 11:30 AM | |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch and Break |
| 12:30 PM | |
| 1:00 PM | Outside time |
| 1:30 PM | Work and school continue |
| 2:00 PM | |
| 2:30 PM | |
| 3:00 PM | |
| 3:30 PM | |
| 4:00 PM | Outside time |
| 4:30 PM | |
| 5:00 PM | Dinner |
| 5:30 PM | |
| 6:00 PM | |
| 6:30 PM | |
| 7:00 PM | Family time |
| 7:30 PM | Prep kids for bed |
| 8:00 PM | |
| 8:30 PM | Kids’ bedtime |
| 9:00 PM | |
| 9:30 PM | |
| 10:00 PM | Parent’s bedtime |
Sample Schedule for Not a Morning Person
| Monday – Friday | Not a Morning Person Sample Schedule |
| 8:00 AM | Wake up
Reflection time or Meditation |
| 8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM | Shower and Dress |
| 9:30 AM | |
| 10:00 AM | Work and School begin |
| 10:30 AM | |
| 11:00 AM | |
| 11:30 AM | |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch and Break |
| 12:30 PM | Outside time |
| 1:00 PM | Work and School continue |
| 1:30 PM | |
| 2:00 PM | |
| 2:30 PM | Outside time and Break |
| 3:00 PM | Work and School continue |
| 3:30 PM | |
| 4:00 PM | |
| 4:30 PM | |
| 5:00 PM | Outside time |
| 5:30 PM | |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner |
| 6:30 PM | |
| 7:00 PM | Family time |
| 7:30 PM | |
| 8:00 PM | Prep kids for bed |
| 8:30 PM | Kids’ bedtime |
| 9:00 PM | |
| 9:30 PM | |
| 10:00 PM | Parent’s bedtime |
More Resources
How to Work from Home with Your Kids
CHADD Suddenly Working from Home
ADDitudemag Learning from Home Schedule
ADDitudemag Are you Corona Schooling?
Kids Activities Blog Free School Resources
Family Schedule for Home School
We are such a scheduled society, so having our time completely altered can be tough. And this seems to be especially challenging for parents with school-aged kids. It’s rough for the parents AND the kids. I love the schedule suggestions you’ve given. These are excellent templates to use and alter. Most of us are accustomed to a certain amount of structure, so finding ways to translate that into the stay-in-place situation is essential. I like that you acknowledged how the first few weeks might have been a free for all, but that now it’s time to put a plan in place…one that everyone is comfortable with. Be well and stay healthy, my friend.
Thank you @Linda, some of us so naturally create schedules and some of us need direction. I am grateful that I can share this with families and individuals as we go through this transition.