Working Moms: Don’t “Go It Alone” During the COVID-19 Lockdown (Part 2)

Hey there, beautiful, hard-working Mama! Welcome to step two of a simple four step process that will provide you with tips on engaging your partner in active ownership of childcare and schoolwork so that you are not going it alone. In Part 1 of this series I covered the first step in the process: Changing Your Mindset. Today we will cover the second step so that you are not the sole person in your household doing #allthethings.

Step 2: Divide & Conquer

The goal here is to come up with a schedule for all the childcare, schooling, household management and work stuff that needs to happen in order to survive the COVID-19 lockdown. This is not the time to be thinking about home improvement projects or upping your workout routine or feeling mommy guilt for not taking this time to make banana bread daily with your child. No, this is the time to cut down to the bare necessity of what will keep your family, household and career afloat.

So, first off, think about what is going to work for you based on your work schedule, your meeting load and the flexibility available to you. Give thought to:

• What does the ideal lockdown schedule look like for you?

• What is the best time for you to on “kid duty”, “work duty” and “household duty”?

• Will alternating days work for you, your household and your employer? Or is a split shift more feasible?

Once you’ve figured out your ideal, talk with your partner. Brainstorm together options for dividing the responsibilities and schedule. Then, talk to your respective employers…not only for approval of the new schedule, but also to see if they have any suggestions or knowledge of options that you aren’t aware of.

You and your partner should both come out of this process with an understanding of how you are both going to be handling childcare, schooling, household management and work. And once you have that figured out, you can move on to the third step of this process: Command Central. If you’d like additional details on Step 2: Divide & Conquer check out this video. For support, tips and insights on surviving the COVID-19 lockdown, please come join me and other working moms at the Working Moms on Lockdown group on Facebook. And, be sure to follow me on Facebook to get the latest info on how to attain an equitable division of labor in your home.

Sign-up now to get the latest tips, guidance and information on how get to 50/50 in your home…and get ready to let go of being the primary manager of your home & family!