Ask Crystal: How Do You Find Time to Work From Home When You’re Homeschooling?

3 hours ago 2

Can you homeschool and work from home full-time? Absolutely!! While it can be challenging, these practical tips will be useful in helping you balance working from home and homeschooling.

Throughout the year, I’m regularly answering questions on money and/or budgeting. If you have a question you’d love for me to answer in an upcoming post, please submit it here.

This week’s question is:

“I want to homeschool and also keep up with my work-from-home job… but I cannot figure out when to get anything done. How do you make time to work without dropping the ball on school (or your sanity)?”

Thank you so much for your question! For many years when my older kids were little, I had to learn how to homeschool and work full-time from home. I’m no longer homeschooling, but when we were, I learned a lot about juggling lessons, life, and laptop time.

I’ve also gathered ideas from friends who homeschool and work from home. Every family is different and every season looks a little unique, so please take what serves you and leave the rest.

Woman standing on a rocky trail smiles and hugs three children—two girls and a boy—while surrounded by trees and greenery

How to Balance Working From Home and Homeschooling

Here are seven practical strategies that consistently helped us balance working from home and homeschooling during that time, and still help many moms I know:

1. Wake Up Before Your Kids (Even Just Twice a Week)

If early mornings are your jam, this can be gold. Those quiet 45–90 minutes can move the needle more than you think. Set out your coffee, water, and laptop the night before and write a sticky note with the top 1–2 tasks you’ll do first.

Commit to no inbox scrolling and no “warm-up.” If you’re not a morning person, try two early starts per week instead of daily. Consistency beats intensity.

Young boy sits on a sunny wooden porch floor playing independently with a drawing tablet and scattered toys while parents work or homeschool nearby.

2. Create an Afternoon Quiet Time That Doubles as Your Work Block

After lunch, have everyone go to their own spot for independent activities: audiobooks, coloring, puzzles, reading, or a pre-approved educational show. Make “quiet bins” that only come out during this window so that this time feels special.

You can use a visual timer so kids can see the countdown. Guard this time like an appointment…because it is one! Even 45–60 focused minutes adds up when it happens most days.

Teenage boy stands outside a brick home, smiling warmly as he holds a younger child dressed in an orange shirt who is laughing and snuggling close.

3. Swap Childcare With Another Mom Who is Working From Home and Homeschooling

Trade a morning or afternoon once a week. Your kids get a playdate; you get focused time. Keep it simple: agree on a few ground rules, pack easy snacks, and rotate houses. Put your heaviest tasks like writing, calls, budgeting, and deep work during this swap time. You’ll both feel the relief almost immediately.

4. Let Older Kids Be Helpers

If you have older kids, give them a short, specific assignment to supervise younger siblings: read aloud, build with blocks, set up a simple craft, or head to the backyard. Start with 30–45 minutes and increase as everyone learns the routine.

You can also offer a small reward to incentivize your helper like extra screen time, a later bedtime, or a small payment. Just be clear on the goal: “Your job is to keep everyone safe and happy in the playroom until the timer goes off.”

Man in a red hat sits on a white armchair with three young children gathered around him in a cozy living room.

5. Pick Two Set Evenings for Focused Work While Your Husband Handles Bedtime

Choose (and protect!) two evenings — say Tuesday and Thursday. Let him handle dinner cleanup, baths, and bedtime. That way, you can head to a quiet corner with noise-canceling headphones and a short to-do list. Having these pre-decided “work nights” turns “someday” into “done.” Plan easy dinners, eat a make-ahead dinner you’ve already prepped, or use the slow cooker on those days to keep the night smooth.

6. Use Outside Playtime Wisely (If You Have a Fenced Yard or Older Kids)

Fresh air and free play can be a gift. Set up a “backyard basket” with chalk, bubbles, jump ropes, and balls. Work where you can see/hear them and set a check-in routine (“Come to the door when the timer dings.”). No yard? Try a fenced park with picnic tables and bring a hotspot, or plan offline work like outlining, editing, or planning so you can leave the Wi-Fi behind.

Round wooden table covered with homeschooling supplies including open books, coloring pages, scissors, markers, and a “Patterns of Nature” workbook, alongside a desktop computer and coffee mug. A child’s hands are visible, highlighting the multitasking reality of working from home and homeschooling.

7. Consider a Gym With Childcare, and Bring Your Laptop

Some gyms offer childcare during certain hours. If yours does, use that time for a quick workout and then a focused work sprint in the lobby/café. Or skip the workout and work the whole block if that’s what this season needs. Keep a “work go-bag” packed with your laptop, charger, earbuds, and a printed task list so you’re ready to use every minute.

Your homeschool doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Your work rhythm doesn’t need to be fancy to be effective. Start small, protect your best windows, and keep tweaking until it fits your family and your current season. There will be messy days, and that’s normal. Just prioritize progress over perfection, always.