Being able to work from home when you have a dog has its benefits. You don't need to hire a dog walker, there's no rushing back through traffic to tend to your loyal friend, and you get to spend more quality time with them.
However, it can also have its downsides, especially if they're a bundle of energy and keep barking when you're in meetings. So, what can you do about it? Let's look at some ways you can stay productive in your home office while managing your dog's schedule.
Accept That Dog Ownership Is Challenging
Unless you have a perfectly behaved, calm dog with minimal exercise needs, you know that being a dog parent can be challenging. When you combine that with home-working, it can get messy and distracting, and this is completely normal.
First things first, you need to accept that dog ownership is a process, and figuring out what helps is going to be a bit of trial and error. It's useful if you're able to decide what your work week looks like, and how you arrange your time, but it's not necessary.
Acknowledge all the hard work you're putting in, and link in with other dog owners to share your experiences and ideas. See if there are any local dogs meet-up groups that you can join on Facebook, and put your Google skills to the test to find pet forums. A problem shared is a problem halved, as the saying goes!
Play Calming Music to Sooth Your Pup
Soothing music can be a very effective way to calm your dog down during the day, and has also been shown to reduce anxiety levels in animals. The added bonus is that music works for humans as well, and you might find it enables you to stay calm and focused while on the job.
YouTube has plenty of free relaxing soundtracks for your pup, and many of them play continuously for hours. Simply go to YouTube, and in the Search bar, type “calming dog music” to bring up a list of options. Try them out and see which ones you both enjoy.
Alternatively, if you and your favorite canine want something a bit more structured, you can find soothing dog podcasts on Spotify or your preferred podcast site. That way you can mix up the tracks somewhat, so you aren't listening to the same thing every day.
Make Your Dog Walk Productive
Having a 30-minute lunch break isn't always enough time to exercise Fido, especially for larger breeds. What you can do, though, is schedule work in to your afternoon walk. If you're working from home, you've already got some autonomy over where you do your job, so why not do some from the park?
You can respond to e-mails on the go, and use that time as an administrative hour. You'll be able to clear up your inbox and clear your head, while breaking up periods of inactivity to help you achieve your own exercise goals.
Many companies use Outlook Office or Exchange as their default e-mail platform, and you can access this on your phone from the Microsoft Office webpage. If you require a specific portal to log in, you can usually request the link for this from your boss.
However, if all this fails, you can forward your work e-mails to a dedicated personal e-mail account by going to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Sync e-mail > Other e-mail accounts.
Plan Ahead for Canine Activities
Keeping your dog busy while you attend meetings and manage your to-do list is a must. Your furry-footed friend needs mental stimulation just as much as physical movement, and it tires them out, too.
Having a healthy rotation of toys and treats goes a long way to keeping your pet happy, and there are a number of excellent dog subscription boxes that can do this for you. There are also some great apps for dog owners that can give you ideas on keeping your pup engaged, which can be handy for pup parenting round-the-clock.
Whether you use these or not, it's practical to get some activities planned in advance. During your free time, come up with a list of activities that your pooch enjoys and store it away for a busy workday. Then, when they need some attention, you can refer to that activity list for a quick idea.
Padlet is an ideal application for this, as it functions as a digital pinboard that you can add to whenever you like. You can come up with your own plans or embed links from the web for inspiration.
It's also beneficial to map out your furry friend's energy patterns. Are they more lively at a particular time of the day? Do they have short bursts of the zoomies or do they have sustained periods of restlessness? Once you know their schedule, you can plan your job tasks around it.
Block out some time in your diary for “doggy time”, so you can anticipate their peaks by taking them for a walk or playing a game of tug. On the other hand, if they are prone to resisting sleep and rest, you can create timetable breaks for your busiest times of the day. Enforcing some dog downtime for an hour while you attend a meeting keeps you stress-free and gives them a chance to relax.
Maintain a Good Work-Dog Balance
Having a cozy companion is one of the greatest joys you can have, with their unfounded loyalty and unlimited cuddles. They can even serve as an office buddy to offload to when you're stressed. All of that goodness deserves some attention, and when you can't give it, it's only fair to give them something to do.
With the tips above, you'll be equipped with the tools to manage your dog's demands and keep them occupied, all the while being able to remain productive at work. Plus, along the way, you might pick up some of your own unique ways to balance it all.