Working From Home With Your Pup? Here’s How To Stay Productive
Working from home after being used to working from an office is a big adjustment for anyone, especially those with pets at home. Suddenly, your entire routine is completely different. While you might not have a commute anymore, you still need to get up on time each morning and attend to any needs you or your pet may have. In this case, your dog’s morning walk and feeding time. So, yeah, it might be a nice change of pace working from home, but you need to keep in mind that now you’ll be faced with a different set of obstacles and challenges that you’ll have to get accustomed to. One of them being your precious pup. It might sound like a dream come true working in your pajamas with your pet by your side, but in reality, it’s not that simple. Having your dog there could become a very significant distraction, taking away from your work. Here are some great tips for working at home – with your dog, to avoid losing momentum and productivity.
Set Up a Schedule
One thing that’s great for both dogs and humans is routine. To make sure you both make the most of your days at home, set aside a specific time to play with your dog. Time management is so important since it will help you provide a routine for you and your pup while giving them the attention they need without taking away from your work. This way, your dog won’t be nagging you throughout the day trying to get your attention. Keeping your play times structured will allow them to relax in between sessions since they know another one is coming soon. Finally, doing this will reinforce obedience in your dog as well, so it’s a win-win!
Have a Pup-Free Workspace
As tempting as it may be to keep your dog next to you the whole day while working, it’s not the best idea for your workflow and productivity. Having your dog near you is not a good thing for a number of reasons: this will reinforce their idea that they can get your attention whenever they want, meaning they’ll become more intrusive as time goes on. Additionally, keeping them in a separate area will prevent them from developing an unhealthy attachment to you or separation anxiety.
Don’t Give in to Begging
If you’ve gotten to the point where you’re beginning to see signs of anxiety in your dog after spending full days with it, you’ll have to recalibrate what you’re doing. Sitting at the door crying or whining when you’ve told them to say out is a time when you should not give in – if you do, this will tell them that they’re in charge, not the other way around. Make sure you act like the boss at home, cause you are.
Keep Them Busy
One of the most important things to do when working from home is to keep your dog busy while you’re working. When dogs get bored or anxious, they can become destructive as a result and chew on furniture or mark their territory inside. To avoid this kind of behavior, make sure they have plenty to do while you’re working. Think of both mentally and physically stimulating toys.
