Taking care of yourself and your family as we continue to navigate the pandemic.

Summer is gone, fall is here and for many families it is back to a very stressful time.  Life during a pandemic with children and work is crazy to say the least.  Whether you are trying to help your first grader learn to read while demonstrating that your job has your undivided attention, or learning that life is one big tik tok while trying to maintain some rules and a zoom or two. Or maybe wondering how you virtually tour a college while being scared to let your baby go as you try to  keep up with your inbox, or dealing with a nest that was empty but is suddenly full again and figuring out how to create multiple work places in one home (sigh)…it is a challenge to say the least.

You must find ways to balance self-care and family-care with getting things done…and that is an art that is hard to master.  My recommendation, make segments and stick to them.  Segments of time, with clear boundaries that are not to be messed with.  Wake up and give yourself one hour that is all yours, meditate, workout, sip coffee and stare, whatever floats your boat that is your time to shine.  Give yourself clear hours of the day that you are working and when you shutdown, and then stick to them.  It’s easy to hop on and off all throughout the day and night when your office is in your dining room, but trying to create a schedule will help your days feel less taken over by the chaos of the times.  Then there’s family time. Do movie nights, walks, cook a dinner together or if you’re feeling frisky go viral with your family tik tok!  It doesn’t matter the activity as long as everyone is checked out of work and school and checked into whatever activity you have landed on. This quality time is the silver lining that will get everyone decompressed and feeling cared for.