Working from home while raising children can make it more challenging to focus during work hours. You might not have an extra room as your office space, so use these tips to create boundaries no matter where you work in your house. Your kids will have everything they need and you’ll get a private space to clock in.

1. Designate a Play Area

Your kids should know where they can play while you’re working. Designate a specific space for them to use and block it off with miniature partitions. The rolling half-walls will even reduce how much noise floods into your office space.

When you don’t need the partitions during the evenings and weekends, they’ll be small enough to store in a hall closet. Your children can spend each day developing fine motor skills with toys like Lego sets, Play-Doh and coloring books while you work, all because a few walls became a temporary boundary.

2. Create a Playroom

Transform any bedroom into a playroom by moving your children’s toys in there each morning. It will double as a new playroom and you’ll get to relocate your workspace to anywhere else in the house. Your kids could even get involved by relocating their favorite toys into the bedroom before you start working in the morning.

Pick your new work location with great consideration— a small change, like working in direct sunlight, would help rregulate your circadian rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep every night. Whether you log into your email by an open window or on a kitchen barstool, your kids will have an entire bedroom to have fun while you focus on your career.

3. Establish a Background

Parents can also have boundaries with their office space by draping fabric across a PVC pipe stand. The fabric will serve as the background for your video calls, creating the visuals of office space while you continue working in your kitchen or living room. You could even start growing indoor plants that purify the air while doubling as decor.

4. Consider a Hanging Desk  

Desks don’t have to take up floor space permanently. A hanging desk would maximize the room in your home while setting a helpful work boundary. After you finish for the day, the desk would fold into the wall. It might prevent you from working after hours because there’s no surface waiting with your laptop on standby.

5. Paint a Sign

A quick sign might be an optimal solution when seeking office space boundaries. Depending on the size, it could hang on the side of your desk, the back of your chair or the doorway. Create it overnight with craft supplies or print a picture of a Do Not Disturb logo.

When your kids see the sign hanging in place, they will know not to disturb you because you’re on a conference call or video meeting. It’s an extra step that makes kids think twice before interrupting your work day, which might be your most pressing challenge during the week.

6. Install a Half Wall

Renovations take a long time and may be too costly for your current budget, but you can still install a half wall to transform your home. Consider if you work from a desk in the corner of a room. A half wall would section off the area without requiring a doorframe.

You can even build it yourself with tools like a stud finder and a drill. The wall might become a new counter space or extra room for hanging decor. Either way, it will be your newest office space boundary.

7. Spend Time Outside

The best work-from-home boundaries often utilize what’s already in your home. If you have a front or back porch, use it as a temporary office space each day. The door will be your physical barrier but still remain easy to open if your kids need anything.

This option may not be viable year-round due to hot summers and freezing winters. However, it’s a nice change of pace that gives you a view, fresh air and another way to create space for your work life.

8. Put Your Tech Away

You may be searching for boundary ideas because you don’t feel a rigid line between your work and personal lives. Putting your work laptop or phone away after clocking out might be all you need.

Shutting them off and storing them out of sight physically stops you from jumping into your inbox for a quick check after dinner. You’ll feel more disconnected during non-work hours and potentially gain the control you want over your routine.

Create an Office Space With Boundaries

Parents who work from home don’t have to push through their daily jobs in environments that don’t support their work life. Use these tips to have boundaries around your office space, no matter where you work in your home. A few slight adjustments to your routine or where you clock in might make the situation more manageable for you and your family.