As working women and moms, working from home is a challenge considering all the other hats we’re called on to wear day in and day out. This is especially relevant in these times of pandemic when most working moms are bearing the brunt of the crisis, forced to handle both childcare, housework and work every single day. This has not given much option to many working moms out there, who have had to forego their careers as a result. In this context, thriving in one’s career or business as a working woman and mom can seem nearly impossible.
At the start of the pandemic, working from home while homeschooling my kids felt incredibly overwhelming. Not being able to fully concentrate on anything fully, being far from colleagues and offices, and dealing with the constant guilt of not being fully present as a parent, was gut-wrenchingly hard. If you add to it the fears related to the virus and to the economy declining, the echo of job losses and business closures everywhere, and the focus on thriving at all, let alone in my career, was taken away.
However, when it is humanly possible, succeeding at work when working from home, and even scoring a promotion in the process, can happen with the help of a few tips, among which:
- Communication, communication, communication!
Keeping the lines of communication open when working from home is especially important for us as working women and moms already suffering from being made “invisible” or the minority in the workplace. It can be so easy to fade in the background of virtual Zoom calls and remote work sessions as working women and moms, especially as our voices are already muted and disregarded.
This may take the form of checking in periodically with your team and management, to make sure any changes, updates or issues are communicated in a timely manner. It may also be responding to requests in a more timely manner, and keeping everyone in the loop as much as possible. Using the right tools to do so, including a reliable connection through companies like Verizon or AT&T and the right brand of computers for you, such as Dell, or HPfor instance.
- Align with expectations
Expectations can be quickly misunderstood or not taken into account when working from home. That’s why it’s so important to make sure to set and clarify expectations with your team and management right from the start, and work on proper alignment.
Clarify expectations by checking in periodically and confirming there is a mutual understanding, preferably over email when you can keep a record of past communications.
- Express yourself!
Last but not least, don’t’ forego expressing yourself and your goals because you’re working from home. While speaking up on virtual meetings can feel a bit cumbersome, not doing so may cause you to fade in the background and not be considered in the decision-making process.
Despite it feeling so much different from being in the office, it’s important to continue to express yourself, speak up and share your goals.
How do you ace your career as a working mom and woman when working from home?
The Corporate Sis.
