Outwardly critical, secretly proud.
Sometimes as a working mother, you just have to stick to your guns when you are running your own show!
I expect that during the lockdown, those that work for themselves were not alone in trying to balance work and life. When speaking to friends and associates experiencing the work-from-home lifestyle perhaps for the first time, there seems to be mixed reactions. These range from:
I can’t stand not seeing my clients or colleagues
to
I didn’t realise how “absent” I was as a parent and have kept my out-of-office on until the end of school holidays.
It is infinitely better for those that have space in which to work. A home office is a luxury. This became more obvious to us when we put our house on the market recently and the office space was highlighted as an asset. Agents are aware that more people are looking for suitable homes outside London but within commuting distance, for the times when they are called in to attend a meeting.
I host a fortnightly virtual women’s networking group. Our most recent discussion was about the benefits of Virtual Assistants and outsourcing. Those that have found themselves working from home for the first time admitted to being empathetic to the plight of the entrepreneur. We have all been in a similar boat where we have struggled with the gazillion roles needed to keep afloat, let alone create success as a solo-preneur. They voiced their appreciation of having a team of experts, support staff and colleagues around them and offered encouragement to those that were attempting, and failing mostly, to try to do-it-all.
The one challenge though that all of us face, is deciding WHEN to work when at home with a partner or family and more importantly how not to feel guilty about it. Sometimes, there is a deadline that needs to be kept. Sometimes, it is critical to meet that deadline so as not to leave money on the table. Sometimes, that means you have to stick to your guns and be clear about your priorities and commitments. However, sometimes you just need to make sure that you are fully present when it matters most.
As a mother of adult children, I still get prodded when I pick up my phone and gently chided when I am doing some work or asking them to be quiet whilst I am recording a podcast!! However, what I do know is that they are secretly proud of their entrepreneurial Mum and I am more than aware of the example I am setting and the legacy I am leaving.
Dr. Gill Barham is an international award winning author, speaker, speaker trainer, broadcast presenter, Pilates teacher, nutritional expert and advocate for self–care.
She is the host of the midlife women Podcast “Radiant Menopause” designed to debunk myths, inform and educate women on what to expect over the age of 4o. Her goal is to empower women to make the most of their “wisdom” years.
Dr Gill Barham uses her experience and expertise to run UK and International Public Speaking and Wellbeing events and retreats.
Dr. Gill studied music as her first degree before qualifying as a Registered General Nurse (RGN) in the UK. She has been studying functional medicine for the past 8 years and her transformational work has been recognised with a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the AUGP (Academy of Universal Global Peace) A Peace Award from the UPF (Universal Peace Federation) and she is a member of the ATL (Association of Transformational Leaders) Europe and the WAoFP (Worldwide Association of Female Professionals)
She is currently running a domestic abuse awareness campaign called SPOT THE SIGNS -during lockdown and beyond.
Connect with her here: www.radiantmenopause.com
