It’s about setting boundaries, being present with the kids, and prioritizing self-care.
By Elaine Lipworth, Content Writer at Thrive Global
As families across the globe have discovered this year, while working from home can be rewarding, being together 24/7 presents a multitude of challenges. Juggling our professional and personal lives can be stressful, and now it often comes with the added responsibility of homeschooling kids. So how do you get your work done, take care of the family, and — also important — find time for yourself?
“As working parents we can set the bar so high, we can feel like we are failing at work and at home,” Lorraine Thomas, Chief Executive of The Parent Coaching Academy, tells Thrive. She advises using this time as an opportunity to build resilience and reflect on what truly brings you joy.
A great first step is to shift our perspective, says San Diego-based cognitive psychologist Sarah McEwen, Ph.D., Director of Research and Programming at Providence Saint John’s Pacific Brain Health Center. She recommends reframing how we view our lives during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. “While there is undoubtedly increased pressure from work and home life during the pandemic, this is a unique time in our lives with our children, and in some ways working from home is ‘a blessing in disguise,’” says McEwen. It’s valuable, she says, “to keep that at the front of our minds.”
Here are simple steps to increasing the joy quotient and decreasing stress.
Establish a routine
“Routines, like getting up at the same time and having family meals together (without technology present), are associated with greater well-being and greater happiness in relationships,” says Thomas, the author of Super Coach Arty Vs. The Shadow — Taking the Fear Out of Failure. If you can (and this will depend on your family’s schedule), focus on work during regular workday hours, then shut off your devices and stop working around the same time each evening. It helps to have a clear delineation between professional and personal time so they don’t bleed into each other. “Unplugging from electronics every night,” adds Thomas, “is going to benefit your work, your family, and your relationship.”
Read full article on Thrive Global for ways to increase the joy quotient and decreasing stress.
Originally published on August 18, 2020 on Thrive Global.