Welcome to Ask Wirecutter, where deputy editor Annemarie Conte helps you figure out how to make the most of your stuff in real life. If you have a shopping conundrum for our advice columnist, submit it using this form.
Dear Wirecutter,
I’m a single parent in nursing school, and there are times when I have to study in my house with my kids around. It’s hard! I love them, but they’re kids, and they can be loud. I’ve hobbled through, but I have the NCLEX licensing exam coming up. Can you help me set myself up so I don’t fail?
AS
Dear AS,
First, I want to take a moment to congratulate you on your upcoming exam! You’ve already made it through years of hard work, including clinical rotations, to get to this point. That is a huge accomplishment.
Anytime you have to do focused work in a disruptive environment, it can be challenging. But there are certainly products and techniques that you can employ to set yourself and your kids up for success.
I consulted Wirecutter journalists, as well as Ann-Louise Lockhart, PsyD, a pediatric psychologist based in San Antonio. She employed her advice while writing the book Love the Teen You Have: A Practical Guide to Transforming Conflict Into Connection.
The most important message is to not put so much pressure on yourself to get everything exactly right. Instead, focus on setting parameters, rules, and boundaries around your work, she told me. “Focus isn’t the absence of distraction. It’s the ability to return your attention to what matters after you’ve been interrupted,” she said in a phone interview. “And when you have kids who are making noise and are constantly asking you questions. That interruption can impact memory, focus, your mood.”
Here’s how to prepare for that exam without stressing out yourself or your family.
