Blog

Finding Balance: Juggling Work from Home Jobs and Pet Parenting

Sometimes, it’s difficult for pet parents to balance work and pet care. At the same time, with proper preparation and organization, it is possible to achieve a great balance of pet parenting and work responsibilities. 

America, in principle, is famous for its excellent attitude to dogs and other animals as full members of society. In particular, all residents of Washington State are obliged to vaccinate their pets annually and register them.

Any animal requires care that takes up a significant portion of your time. Therefore, when using Jooble job search aggregator, you should look for employment options that will allow you to fit caring for your pet into your schedule. In addition to choosing the right job, it is worth paying attention to the effective tips we have collected for you in our article. 

How to competently distribute time for work and pets

A pet is a full-fledged member of the family, which requires care. Together with the experts of the job aggregator Jooble, we tried to understand how to make your work schedule and responsibilities compatible with raising a pet. First of all, you should pay attention to effectively managing your time. In this situation, use the following recommendations:

  • Create a clear regimen. Plan a regular schedule for the day, including time for your pet. The schedule should include time for walking, feeding, playing and grooming your pet. A clear schedule will provide your pet with a sense of security and allow you to schedule time for work responsibilities.
  • Spend as much quality time with your pet as possible. When you are with your pets, give them your full attention – play, exercise and more. Spending time with your pet allows you to build a strong bond and make up for the time you were apart.
  • Enlist the help of strangers. You can delegate some of your caregiving responsibilities to other family members or use special services. For example, you can hire a dog walker to take your pet outside while you’re at work. There are also speciality pet care facilities.

Time management techniques effectively set up a schedule for raising your pet. It doesn’t need all of your time; it needs to be scheduled. 

Create an optimal working environment for fostering your pet

With the help of creating a friendly workplace for your pet, it will be possible to achieve a more efficient fulfilment of your pet care duties. The following tips are worth following in this situation:

  • Make a safe place in your home for your pet to stay while you work. This place should be cosy and safe and have everything you need (food, water, toys, bedding or a comfortable recliner) to keep your pet comfortable while you are away. At the same time, it’s worth limiting access to certain places that could be dangerous or where your pet could cause trouble.
  • Work from home. If your work allows it, do work from home or set up a flexible schedule. It lets you spend time with your pet and fulfil your work obligations.
  • Take advantage of modern technology to stay in touch with your pet while you are not at home. You can install a camera to watch your pet from a distance. Some systems involve two-way communication.

At the same time, you should not sacrifice your work for your pet. It would help to consider your interests to strike the best balance. 

Enlist outside help in fostering the pet

You don’t have to raise your pet on your own. You can enlist outside help:

  • Pet sitting services. You can hire a special pet sitter to care for your pet while away from work or other business. The sitter can come in during the day to walk, feed, and spend time with your pet so they don’t get homesick.
  • Neighbours, co-workers, and acquaintances who love animals. You can develop friendships with other pet owners at work or in your neighbourhood. Subsequently, you can help each other care for your four-legged family members. 

Many pet owners may find it emotionally difficult to be away from their animals throughout the day. In addition, the pets themselves are also capable of experiencing a lot of stress, to leads to bad behaviour. It needs to be noticed in time to take appropriate action. 

How to realize that a pet is experiencing separation stress from its owner

When pets are separated from their owners, they may experience anxiety or severe stress. As a result, they may experience behavioural disturbances such as barking, pacing around the house, aggression, and other disruptive behaviours. This problem can be addressed in a variety of ways:

  • Gradually increasing the time of absence. To make your pet less sensitive to your care, it is worth increasing the time of absence gradually. This way your pet will realize that he is not abandoned and you always come back.
  • Encourage your pet’s independence. Boredom breeds unwanted mischief. When your pets are alone, ensure they are surrounded by things that keep them interested and cognitively active. For example, use special puzzles for dogs and toys that gradually provide treats to keep your pet interested in your absence.
  • Take advantage of special ways to calm your pet. To reduce the anxiety of your pet, you can put in the room special diffusers or sprays with pheromones that have a calming effect on the pet. You can also use quiet music or white noise to create a relaxing atmosphere. It doesn’t hurt to consult a veterinarian who can recommend vitamins or herbal remedies to calm and relax your pet.
  • Seek professional help. You can consult with an animal behaviourist or animal trainer to combat anxiety. It is worth doing if the anxiety persists or worsens.
  • Avoid factors that can increase anxiety. Try to keep your composure and avoid emotional scenes when leaving and arriving. Your pet needs to understand that your leaving and coming is normal and not a cause for concern. 

The more time you spend with your four-legged friend, the better he will feel emotionally. In addition, if you are experiencing anxiety, it can also affect your pet. 

Conclusion

Combining work with the education of the pet is quite realistic. It is only necessary to plan everything. The most important aspect in this situation is time management and the involvement of outside help in situations when you can not deal with the animal. Note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising and caring for a pet. You don’t have to use a strategy other pet parents have advised mindlessly. Create a strategy that works for you and your pet.