“Staying motivated, maintaining work-life balance and utilising new technologies for face-to-face meetings keeps me going.”

Orit Usharovsky
Senior Sales Executive, United Kingdom

6:30 am: “Mummy mummy, can I play on the iPad?” is the typical wake up call in our household. It’s time to get dressed and go to work, I think. Oh, hang on, I am at work!

The current situation caught us all by surprise. We had to completely change our lives within a week. Things we took for granted like online grocery shopping, meeting friends, having fun days out with kids have all become
a distant memory.

Only a month ago, if you’d been told that you’d be able to work from home for a prolonged time– skipping overcrowded trains and office politics in the process – it might have sounded like a dream come true. The reality, of course, is different.

So, what has changed for me?

As the world adjusts to the corona virus pandemic, one of my biggest challenges is keeping the kids entertained, while at the same time getting them fit, healthy and educated while juggling a full time job.

I am receiving numerous tasks for my 6-year-old each day. From teaching him how to be a newspaper reporter to designing a poster with facts about Christopher Columbus, as well as math games, daily physical activity tasks and science experiments. Hats off to the home-schooling parents, and a big bow to the teachers!

For a 6-year-old this whole situation is a welcome break. They don’t have to go to school and in their minds it’s a time off, so why do they still need to learn….

Work wise: staying motivated, maintaining work-life balance and utilising new technologies for face-to-face meetings keeps me going.

Here are a few tips that I find useful:

Create a schedule: Both children and adults alike thrive on routines, so it is important to set out a structure for the day. Make sure you allocate time for free play, quiet time and garden time if you have one.
Designate a workplace: Allocating a working spot for yourself and your child (ideally not on the couch or bed) can help boost productivity and focus.
Keep active and healthy: Eat well, exercise regularly (plenty of ways to do it with your kids), keep to your sleeping routine, limit non-work-related screen time and connect with your family and friends, even if via phone, online chat or social media.
Give space: We all need some time for ourselves to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Work with your partner to create such opportunities during the day.
Stay positive: Don’t blame yourself if the kids watched more TV or played more electronics than usual. Appreciate the precious quality time spent together and remember to have one on one time.

It's going to be a challenge with some hiccups, but together we can do it and soon enjoy our life again!

PHOTO: Orit Usharovsky