It's working for Gail Z.
MD
3 children
While a lot about life before the pandemic was busy and often felt unmanageable, I COULD go to work, close my office door, and dive into a task if I was on a tight deadline or had a packed schedule. Now, I'm constantly having to stop and pull away, losing focus and taking more time to do my work
Which of the following are you trying to fit with your job/career? ________________________________________________________________________
Caring for young children (1-5 years)How has COVID-19 impacted your job/work responsibilities? How has it impacted your responsibility to care for your family?
My work responsibilities haven't changed, which is the biggest challenge because my workload was heavy before COVID, and it's remained heavy while I'm at home balancing life as a wife and mom. I think the simplest answer to how it's impacted my responsibility to care for my family is that I am EXHAUSTED all the time, and getting no breaks. So it's difficult to be fully present, and cheerful sometimes.Was there ever a time when you felt there was an unspoken barrier or preconceived notion that interfered with your job or career? Please share.
At my previous company, working from home was quite uncommon, and rare in general for my team. There was an unspoken rule that my VP did not take too kindly to the idea. And she was a mother herself.In my current role, I am the only parent among a staff of 10 at a small nonprofit. In my 10 months with the organization, there have been constant mumurings about my time management skills, about how I don't communicate enough to my colleagues, and very little (especially in the wake of the pandemic) discussion about what I am going through or what I may need due to current circumstances. When asked what I need, it's always in the context of--what do you need to meet this deadline ASAP? So it's not about how I'm doing as a person, but more what I'm doing as a support staff (even though I'm NOT in a support role).
What is one thing you wish your employer understood about you and your life?
That having kids is a full-time job and that sleep deprivation really impacts my work.
If you could change one thing about your job to make it easier for you to fit work with your other professional, educational, or caregiver responsibilities, what would it be?
The workload, honestly. And perhaps the hours.What is something your employer has done well to make it easier to fit work with your other professional, educational, or caregiver responsibilities?
For a while, our Interim EDOf all your professional, educational, or caregiver responsibilities, which creates the most stress with your job/career? Please share why?
Right now, I'd say balancing caregiver and PTA mom are the two that provide the most stress because I'm trying to attend to the things that are most important to me, while balancing something I HAVE to do.
Thinking about fitting your job/career with your professional, educational, or caregiver responsibilities, is there anything that used to be manageable that no longer is? Is there anything that used to be able to count on, that you no longer can?
While a lot about life before the pandemic was busy and often felt unmanageable, I COULD go to work, close my office door, and dive into a task if I was on a tight deadline or had a packed schedule. Now, I'm constantly having to stop and pull away, losing focus and taking more time to do my work. Also, my toddler hasn't gone to daycare since the pandemic started, so I know longer have the confidence in knowing that he's getting everything he needs academically because he's often on a device to keep him occupied so I can get work done.