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Home office in pandemic, a sweet dream or a nightmare?

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By Evangelina Taurizano

January 1, 2021
4:34 am
Los Angeles, CA

Mom, I have zoom classes! Dad I can’t find my Tablet, the WIFI doesn’t work well, help me with my biology class, Mom … Covid-19 has not only complicated everything that has to do with health, but it has also forced us to live together, however we can. We are all part of the house, we occupy our space, we have our schedules, but in this new pandemic world, schedules have been turned upside down and spaces have shrunk. Schools closed their doors and older people were forced to work from home. How many times do we dream of doing home-office? How many times did the children imagine not having to get up to go to school every day? That idyllic dream in which we thought that staying at

Mom, I have zoom classes! Dad I can’t find my Tablet, the WIFI doesn’t work well, help me with my biology class, Mom …

Covid-19 has not only complicated everything that has to do with health, but it has also forced us to live together, however we can.

We are all part of the house, we occupy our space, we have our schedules, but in this new pandemic world, schedules have been turned upside down and spaces have shrunk.

Schools closed their doors and older people were forced to work from home.

How many times do we dream of doing home-office?

Mother working from home with kids. Quarantine.

How many times did the children imagine not having to get up to go to school every day?

That idyllic dream in which we thought that staying at home, in pajamas, with slippers, with a hot coffee and working from bed became … almost a nightmare?

I don’t know if it’s for that long, but there is no doubt that working from home with the children inside is not an easy task.

From one day to the next we have become specialized teachers in different subjects. We had to learn pedagogy by force and, at the same time, try to do what we have to do: work!

Thousands of theories have been outlined in this time to help parents who must work at home and reconcile their tasks with the upbringing and education of their children 24×7.

But for those who have had the opportunity to live this experience firsthand, I think these theories will sound like that, like simple theories.

Explain to the children that now mom and dad are going to work, that they should do something else, that they should not come in when mom is in a meeting or that they should turn down the volume on the PlayStation because dad is trying to close a balance, it sounds like a story with uncertain ending.

We did what we could. And we are still adapting our lives to this new crazy world.

Working in a pandemic has been a challenge, not only for us but also for children.

Remote work awakens loves and hates. For many an option that allows optimizing time, increasing productivity and allowing a balance between personal and work life, for others a space of chaos and low performance.

Covid-19 does not seem to be willing to go away but rather, it has come to stay and, while we wait for the saving vaccine to reach us all, I propose a couple of tips to make our days more bearable and our work more productive.

Man working on laptop and wearing latex gloves for virus prevention. Man working from home using smartphone and laptop.(Photo: Danciaba/Dreamstime)

Define a schedule

It is one of the first tasks; It is necessary to set a few hours of work and a few hours of rest. It is very important to do it and, even more, to comply with it. It is crucial to avoid overdoing the time spent at work and not wasting time taking care of things around the house when one should be working.

Setting goals for the day and the week

Surely each one must be accountable to a superior for how the projects they work on are going or must deliver the work by a certain deadline. In order to fulfill them, they must be planned in advance.

Accommodate the space for work

One of the advantages of teleworking is that you have full control of your workspace, so look to condition it to function as an office in your home. The basic thing is to find a comfortable space with some privacy. Also, while it may be tempting to stay in your pajamas or flip flops all day, changing clothes will help put you in a ‘work’ mindset and improve performance.

If both parents are working, divide the day into blocks that give one parent space at a time. Allotting time for each person to focus solely on work ensures that everyone performs key tasks without resentment.

I do not know if we will come out of this stronger or more tolerant, but what I am sure of is that we have to do everything to try!