As COVID-19 has impacted our world, every single person has felt its impact in some type of way financially, mentally, or emotionally. Working from home has become the new normal as millions around the world log on from their homes to continue working and collaborating with their colleagues.
As an essential business, SeedSpark’s staff is permitted to continue normal operations. Kara Lingerfeld, Controller at SeedSpark, shares what a day-in-the-life is like under stay-at-home orders here in the Carolinas as she splits her workday with one foot in the office and the other at home.
“I wake up at 7, get coffee going, start working as I know Aiden will wake up and slow me down at any time – he usually sleeps ‘til 9 or 10 but it varies. When he does wake up, I get him up, change his diaper, get him something to eat for breakfast and a put on a TV show he loves. Around 10:30, I get ready, load up the car and head to office. Once there, it’s time to set back up, receive packages, check the mail, make deposits, and pay the bills - resume working as usual. I’ll receive in anything else that comes in during the second half of the day and then head back home.”
For those working from home entirely, there are plenty of adjustments to be made - especially for those with school-age kids.
I am so thankful to be able to work from home, but if I ever hear the term “Google Doc” once this pandemic is over, I’m gonna lose it!,” says Erin Evans, SeedSpark’s Accounting Assistant. “Thank God for technology, but having to help a 9-year-old with technology to do all of her schoolwork is tough! Doing bank reconciliation, AP for clients, and adding or decomposing fractions for 4th grade math – give me all of the carbs!”
Addy Emery, SeedSpark’s Director of Sales, is a working professional and a mother of three kids. She and her husband are both currently working from home. I sat down to talk with Emery to get a better idea of what her day-to-day life is like when trying to balance the responsibilities of work and home life when they are so often seamlessly blended together in our current situation.
She shares that creating a definitive routine is a large part of creating a successful life. A corporate workflow often requires a schedule, but creating a weekly agenda that keeps the family active and occupied is a major factor in keeping everyone healthy both mentally and physically.
While it’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of working from home, it’s important to be thankful for the positive aspects as well. As Emery notes, being able to spend extra time with family creates the opportunity to strengthen bonds and learn more about each other – something that many of us forget when caught up in the hustle and bustle of work events and PTA meetings.
For the parents who are doing the best they can during the quarantine, know that you’re not alone! We’re in uncharted territory, facing a challenge that none of us have faced in this way before in any of our lives. From Microsoft Teams calls in the kitchen to kids yoga in the living room, people around the world are doing the best they can to strike a balance and find a new normal. People around the world have been forced to make lifestyle adjustments that minimize the threat of COVID-19 and keep each other safe, but parents have faced a unique set of circumstances that highlight just how incredible they are.
As society begins to work towards regaining some type of normalcy, I’m hopeful that the lessons learned in quarantine won’t easily be forgotten. Spend time with family and truly connect with one another. Develop a reliable routine that keeps you and those around you engaged physically and mentally. Be thankful for one another; our teachers, our grocers, our daycare workers – they’re all essential parts of our lives that are often overlooked.
