This group has been on my mind nearly every day these past weeks. Like many Chicagoans, we watched our investment accounts plummet, reorganized patches of our homes into remote offices, checked in on the wellbeing of dozens of friends and family members and suffered horrible experiences at grocery stores.
But this group has another bond.
In this unprecedented moment, the challenges of balancing our personal lives and various professional responsibilities are at an all-time high. Without any notice or preparation, our households have had to accommodate up to 30 hours of additional time per week to care for and educate our kids. Our leadership skills are being tested under enormous pressures at a time when we have less availability and in-person connection than ever before. Our household dynamics have been turned upside down.
In my own home, my husband and I scrambled to put together a strawman schedule for our 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. This turned out to be a lifesaver as we quickly realized there was no time during the weekdays to brainstorm, and any sign of indecision quickly led to kids getting testy or distracted. We signed up for a half a dozen online educational resources, fumbling through sharing passwords and getting everything onto the right devices. Just getting that part accomplished taxed our planning capacity and we realized we had not done enough to organize our work calls so that they didn’t share too much overlap. We’re learning, and the next few weeks will be better.
In the meantime, I am keenly aware of how lucky we are to have a home with separate spaces for work and kids and enough iPads and computers for everyone. I also have kids that can be somewhat productive for blocks of time alone. Many of you have infants or toddlers tugging at you constantly.
All of us are evolving our routines and getting a handle on this new reality. I wish we could still get together in a room and give each other hugs and talk it over. This would be the best time for our typical gatherings. In the meantime, our advisory board wanted to share some resources that they have found particularly helpful in recent days.
I am confident that while many things seem uncertain, and that challenging days lay ahead, we will emerge from this time a stronger, more unified group. BCLK is committed to gathering and sharing information with our members and the community in these times of uncertainty. To that end, if you have ideas that are working for you professionally or personally, please send them to us at info@bigcareerslittlekids.com, and we will find ways to share them over time.
We look forward to connecting with you to come through these challenges and further strengthen our organization’s mission across Chicagoland.
Stay Healthy,
Michelle Johnson
President, Big Careers Little Kids
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“I have found it helpful to shower every day and dress somewhat presentably instead of going the sweatshirt/pajama route. This makes me more willing to use videoconference which helps me stay more engaged with my team and clients.”
“We have a schedule for the kids printed out on the kitchen table. The schedule contains the main links for any websites and password information. That way, if my husband and I are switching places to be with the kids between work calls, we’re not wasting time fumbling to get connected.”
“I have survived this week because I make sure I exercise an hour each morning. No matter what. Runs outside have been great and there are tons of great apps. I use Yogaia for live and recorded yoga and pilates classes.”
“I need to call a friend each day. It just makes me feel better.”
“There has never been a better time for women to attain a senior-ranking executive position or negotiate a better deal within an existing role."
