Image: Shutterstock
Remember those days when you could schedule a meeting, talk to your clients, manage your team, and tally that excel sheet, all without being interrupted a zillion times? Well, I do, and I miss it beyond words. Schools have started virtual classes with the pandemic taking over, and offices have adopted work from home. When the news came out about virtual learning, I didn’t think it would be challenging to manage. I thought I would have a lot of time on my hands and dedicate some of it to my hobbies. But boy, was I wrong!
With my kids staying at home, it became impossible for me to focus on work and get anything done. They would call me every two minutes because they were hungry, bored, or just got into a fight with their siblings. My 6-year-old son would raid the pantry and make noise every time I schedule a meeting, and my 2-year-old daughter refused to leave my side all day. It was hard, and just when I thought it would pass, it didn’t. Working from home became the norm, and my children’s schools extended their virtual learning practice, making it downright impossible to get anything done.
It got to a point where I had to schedule calls and respond to important emails while sitting on the can. Because if I didn’t, I would have to type out an email with one hand while holding my baby with another while she climbed all over me. I’m not trying to discourage you fellow mommies who have to work from home and take care of your kids, but I speak from experience when I say it’s hard. Not because of your kids being out of school. It’s hard because managing work while having your children running around is stressful and distracting.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I have unruly kids, need to wake up earlier than I do, or that I need to manage my schedule better; it’s hard because it’s hard. Period. Working from home is challenging in normal situations, and now with the added stress of a global pandemic and having to virtually school your kids, it’s twice as hard. There have been several situations where I have tried to have the perfect day. But it’s always been in vain.
Image: Shutterstock
It takes a lot of patience. I have to tell my kids (and sometimes my partner) that if I’m sitting at the computer, it’s because I’m working. It takes some schooling for them to understand that too. Eventually, I learned what schedule works for me, how to deal with cranky kids while I’m working, and how to meet deadlines when I’m crunched for time. It’s a process, but it happens with time.
Now, in a lot of ways, I know what to expect. But it wasn’t an easy journey to accept the situation. It’s still not easy on most days, but since I have an idea about how my days will be, I crib less and make the most of it. It got me thinking, if I, an adult, am finding it so hard to cope with this change, what would be my children’s state of mind?
Their whole world has turned upside down because they don’t get to see their friends anymore. They are cooped up at home just like me and might feel frustrated and bored. It’s unfair to expect them to understand that you cannot play with them even though you’re right by their side because you’re working. It’s got to be confusing for them.
Now, I’ve accepted it, and I know that it’s not going to be an easy road. But whether the situation is temporary or not, I am prepared for it. I know how to manage my expectations and find the balance of being a working mom. If you struggle with the same situation, don’t stress because you will get the hang of it too. Just give yourself some time and be patient through it all.
