What is work life balance anymore? 5 tips for managing work-life imbalance during COVID-19

Time to admit that work-life balance is not going to happen, at least not until school starts back (in-person because these kids need to get out of the house!!).  Take a deep breath and do the best you can.

It will probably not be pretty but here are some tips to help!

While it is something all parents typically struggle with at some point or another, COVID-19 has made the idea of achieving actual work-life balance seem more farfetched than ever. Trying to balance work, parenting (or co-parenting), and everything else that day-to-day life demands in the middle of a global pandemic is enough to make anyone burn out. Here are some of Emily’s favorite survival tips:

1. Have a dedicated workspace. It doesn’t matter if it’s a spot at your kitchen table, a cozy corner, or an entire room in your home just make sure you have a dedicated workspace! Try not to use your couch as an office if you can help it, as the couch should be reserved for relaxing when you’re done working. Not only does having a dedicated area promote focus and productivity, but it also lets others (like those kids! And maybe the spouse (laughing emoji?)) know that when you are in your workspace you are actively working and that distractions should be kept to a minimum. A space with a door is best and highly recommended.

2. Develop a routine. Notice we said routine and not schedule? That was intentional. Schedules are demanding and hard to keep and add extra pressure for no reason sometimes. Obviously, there are things in life that are time-specific and have to be scheduled around. Make SURE you put these things on a calendar with lots of reminders so you don’t lose track of them. However, show yourself some grace and know that if you don’t have breakfast on the table at 7:36 AM exactly, it’s perfectly fine. What matters is that everyone knows that after breakfast comes productive time (whether that’s work, school, chores, etc.), followed by playtime/electronic time, or whatever works with your life. Establishing (and sticking to) a routine helps make the use of dedicated time more productive while eliminating some of the chaos and uncertainty of “what’s coming next?”.

3. Know you can’t do it all. This is a big one. Delegating and asking for help are two of the biggest ways to combat burn out. Ask coworkers or managers for help with work tasks. Buy takeout to give yourself a night off of cooking (let’s be real, preparing 3 meals a day in quarantine can be somewhat daunting!). Ask someone you trust to watch your children, if even for a short time, so you can recharge or get some work done. If you’re a business owner, look at hiring a Virtual Assistant to help take administrative tasks off of your plate. Utilize apps to help you take care of things like scheduling, meal planning, task management, special projects, and financial management. Learning to delegate and ask for help are the quickest ways to eliminate stress and encourage a healthy work-life balance.

4. Be present with your family. It’s so easy to blur the lines between work hours and family time, especially when COVID-19 has many people working from home. It’s easy to fall into a rhythm of constantly checking emails and handling work tasks outside of normal business hours. Make sure to set boundaries and leave your work-related tasks for work hours if at all possible. When it is time for family time, set the phone down, step away from work, and focus on being present and enjoying this precious time with your family.

5. Be kind to yourself and each other! Remember, none of us are perfect and we are all just doing the best we can. Even on the best of days, there will most likely still not be a perfect work-life balance. There will be good days and there will be bad days. There will be days your job demands more of you, and there will be days where your family needs you more than others. Take comfort in knowing you are not alone and that there are millions of others right there with you, struggling to make it all work. Make sure to show yourself grace, don’t speak down to yourself, and lift up others every chance you get – we’re all in this together!