For working mothers, the Corona Virus pandemic and working from home have gone to some other level. For them, ‘working from home’ never stops anyway, but with the kids being at home and the work coming home as well, the situation has gone crazier than ever. Before we discuss anything further, let’s take a moment to appreciate our mothers who regardless of working full-time or not are handling the needs of everyone being at home and coping up their way with the lockdown.
Now that being out of the way, we know how hard it is for you to adjust not only working from home but making sure the sanctity of homestays sane. If it is hard for you to manage, here are a few ways through which you can ensure you stay productive, your work goes as planned, and you do not find issues with kids either:
Make a Routine
Now more than ever, it is important for you to plan a routine and stick to it. Make sure you have a conversation with kids and everyone at home, if you haven’t already, and you make them understand how to respect your working hours and needs at home. Map out a routine for your kids as well. When you are working in the morning and cannot look after your kids, plan an education-related activity for them so they can indulge in those activities while you work. This way, you will not be disturbed.
Make sure you have a separate space where you work. You, your husband or anyone else who is now working from home can dedicate a single room for work. This way, you can all be accountability partners while staying motivated as well. Take turns with your partner to look after kids and keep them busy.
Talk To Your Employer
Make sure you have a conversation with your employer as well. With kids being out of school as well, it is a little difficult for them to adjust to the new routine too. It is natural for them to disturb you and cause problems while you work. Hence, make sure you inform your employer that you are going to take breaks in-between and ask them to relax a bit on deadlines for you.
We are sure, this is a situation everyone understands and your bosses won’t be harsh on you.
Distribute The Roles
Your partner is in this with you as much as you are. Hence, you two must sit together and have a conversation regarding how to handle everything at home alongside kids. If one of you can switch work hours, it would be great. This way, it can be made sure that at least one parent is with the kid while other is working.
If you two have to work at the same time then make sure you distribute the timings when one of you has to go check up on the kids.
Involve Your Kids In Online Education
Since most of the schools in Pakistan for primary and secondary kids haven’t gone online, who says they still can’t study? There are hundreds of free, discounted and paid resources on the internet you can involve your kids in whether they are three or fifteen. Make sure you buy a course or an online assisted class so your kids can learn while at home as well.
Take Care of Yourself
Among all the insanity, this is the most important thing. If your kids are young, we are sure this time will be hard on you. However, do not forget to look after yourself first. Take some time to go out alone in the fresh air, even if five minutes. Take long baths, have a massage or just do meditation or yoga to destress. Taking care of yourself is the utmost because if you aren’t doing well, you won’t be able to multi-task and be the powerhouse that you are right now.
