Moms back to work as Corona settles
Strategies to overcome back to work burnout, blues, and more!
Ever since the coronavirus situation has settled most of us have rejoiced, relaxed, and are glad that things are beginning to smoothen up a bit while we are still grappling to find our foothold in the new normal. While we have all been affected by the pandemic in some way or the other, working moms have faced tremendous challenges, from managing WFH and household chores to looking after the kids and keeping them engaged at home. It has definitely put a lot of pressure on the working moms and some of them have been overwhelmed trying to balance work and home. Some are facing burnout and there have been instances where they are even thinking of quitting their careers and staying at home as it is becoming increasingly difficult to strike a work-life balance. The challenges for the working moms do not end here. As things are normalizing and offices are beginning to open up, it is becoming strenuous to look after the children as schools have not yet opened for all age groups. So looking after the kids and assisting them in online classes which sometimes becomes necessary with the younger age group is becoming increasingly difficult. Keeping children meaningfully engaged at home is another challenge as parents would want to limit their screen time and want them to be involved in activities that they would enjoy and which would also be intellectually stimulating. All of these demands are putting a lot of pressure on parents and more so on the working mothers who are trying to balance their work and home. As a result, they end up stretching themselves emotionally, physically, and mentally and at times experience burnout; forgetting the undeniable fact of life that a neglected and deprived tree fails to sustain and serve.
To avoid a burnout situation and enjoy the growing-up phase of their children moms need to balance their time and energies. Begin by being kind to yourself and asking for help when needed. Make self-care a priority, dispelling all guilt that shrouds your mind and heart as only then can we take care of our family and children. Our to-do lists are often never-ending and full of intensive activity and actually ‘doing’ things 365 days a year. It’s time we make a place for self-care in our to-do lists as much as other deadlines. Make sure to get enough sleep and rest. Take care of your nutrition and include walking, cycling, yoga, jogging, or any form of exercise in your routine. Avoid having unrealistic expectations from yourself as it will only lead to dissatisfaction and uneasiness. Delegate work whenever it’s possible to do so. Make digital detox a ritual and you would see yourself having more time in hand. Take one step at a time and be realistic. As working moms, we end up doing a lot of multitasking which often leaves us feeling exhausted. So taking some time out for yourself on a daily basis becomes all the more important. Do not stress about the house being in a mess. Give yourself credit for all that you do. With juggling so many responsibilities and managing everything around you, you definitely deserve a pat on the back!
As working moms we often feel guilty about not being able to spend time with our children. The key is to enable our children to become independent in age-appropriate tasks. Begin by assigning simple responsibilities to children. Encourage them to do their homework on their own. They might initially need some help and guidance but once they learn to be independent, not only are they able to accomplish the tasks but they also become more confident and comfortable. Make sure to have some time for outdoor free play for the children to keep their energies channelized and also limit their screen time as much as possible. Spending quality time with them will then become more feasible.
Identify and make a list of all the things that help you feel energized. This list could include anything from calling a friend, taking a walk and being close to nature, listening to your favourite music, reading, dressing up to practicing mindfulness. Make sure you do these things often to prevent yourself from feeling physically exhausted and emotionally drained. Identify your time and energy leakages and avoid them as much as you can. Learn to set healthy boundaries and say no without feeling guilty. After all, you can only do as much and stretching yourself too much and too often depletes you of your physical, mental, and emotional energy much sooner than you would ever imagine.
Things might seem a bit out of control and overwhelming as well but once you decide you are going to make self-care a priority, manage work targets, be able to look after your family, and spend quality family time there is nothing that can impede you from manifesting inner balance. It is all about taking the first step and deciding that we are going to make it work and constantly reminding ourselves that it’s all about balancing our time and energies.