Because of Covid-19, working from home has become more of a norm now. If you now work from home, you probably know the benefits of working from home, such as having the kitchen at arm’s reach so that you don’t have to go out for lunch every day because you overslept. Another benefit of working from home is the ability to wear your pajamas throughout the work day without having to worry about looking presentable unless you have a meeting.

My personal favorite benefit is being able to be home with my pets. I call them my little coworkers simply because all my actual coworkers live all over the place and I don’t see them. I own two cats that have very different personalities, and they make me laugh during a difficult time. They are a lot like children. I can be working and be completely in the zone when one of my cats either jumps on my lap or pats my arm followed by a meow asking for food. One of my cats really likes to snuggle in my lap while I work and tries her hardest to make sure I can’t type with my left hand because she is insistent on resting her arm and head on my lap. It’s in those moments where working from home seems like paradise.

Have you ever had a meeting and a child or pet decides to show up while you’re on a web camera? Thankfully, with all of my experiences I have had with my cats “photo bombing” a video meeting, people on the meeting didn’t seem bothered by the cat that interrupted the meeting. When this happens, the people in the meeting usually laugh and comment at how cute they are.

Sometimes working from home with pets can be a little frustrating when they seem a bit needy and are distracting you while you work. I’ve learned how to combat that so I’ll share with you some of my tricks to keeping your pets busy while you’re getting your work done.

  1. First thing in the morning give your pets their food. That will help you wake up without being bothered by what usually seem like the cute meows/barks and neediness. Take that time to make your coffee so that you can start work with the right foot forward.
  2. Have the windows open just enough so that your pets can look outside or take naps on the window sill. This trick has worked the best out of all of the tricks I share.
  3. Buy a little living space for your pet and put it on the opposite side of the room or your house. This could be a dog bed or a cat tree.
  4. Buy toys that require your cat or dog to play on their own but wouldn’t make too much noise. A good example for a cat is an enclosed circular track with a ball inside. An example for a dog would be a toy that they can chew but doesn’t squeak.
  5. You should also never eat at your desk if you let your pets (more so cats) on your desk in any other circumstance. They will think your food is their food and they will not leave you alone.

Most of my day is just my cats sleeping on the window sill being quiet and behaving while I perform my normal work day. They sometimes just need me to acknowledge them and that I haven’t forgotten about them. For me, being able to be with my pets while I work from home is the best part of working from home.