If one positive after-effect is associated with the pandemic, it is the attention generated for the plight of family caregivers.
Managing work and home life have always been a tremendous challenge for those taking care of a senior relative. Eleanor Gaccetta, author, baker, and full-time caregiver to her mother explains, “I believe you learn so much about yourself during difficult times, and in the end, you can become a stronger, more resilient, and more caring human being. The best part about Caregiving is the opportunity it provides for one to grow, conquer and improve challenges and fear, so long as it is done with honesty, humor, and love.”
Businesses were unexpectedly thrown into the fire of navigating a world of managing staff safety and the necessity to keep up productivity. Here’s what people discovered – and what family caregivers can expect for the future:
More telecommuting
In several cases, those who began working from home over the last two years have manifested their potential to be much more productive. It is because of this fact that it is forecasted that as many as twenty-five to thirty percent (25–30%) of the workforce in the United States will continue telecommuting at least several days per week moving forward.
Reduced stress.
Doing away with the everyday commute opens up additional time for self-care for family caregivers while amplifying peace of mind. This is specifically true for those who relied on public transportation and were concerned about adjusted health safety. To help strengthen mental health, many employers are offering subscriptions to mindfulness applications and meditation. Similarly, Caregiving in the New Normal Regaining Work-Life balance is something that one can look forward to. Do manage your expectations. Although some might explicate the remote work setting as a chance to buckle down and use the extra time for maximum productivity, others might feel overwhelmed by the number of changes in such a short period of time. When it comes to creating balance, as they say, one of the first things you need to do is control your expectations and give yourself forgiveness and understanding.
A corporate culture of caring.
Working from home has revealed the personal fragments of people’s lives to employers. Zoom meetings share your living spaces, including the appearance of pets, children, and other family members. This means the workplace is becoming more humanized, creating a more empathetic working environment. Relatively, be kind to yourself. Recognizing and acknowledging the situation’s complexity is key to creating a work-life balance. Keeping commitments to yourself and consistency are vital to sustaining your mental health. If you find yourself often forgoing moments of pause or self-care, enlist the help of others to hold you accountable. If your mood has dropped significantly, or you still have difficulties making adjustments, monitoring your physical and emotional responses the entire day can be an excellent way to determine when you might need professional aid. You can use an easy tracking system to rank daily on a scale of one through ten. If you notice the daily rankings are dropping, you should consider speaking to a therapist, doctor, or counselor.
Emphasis on mental wellness
Along those lines, there is also an enhanced understanding of the necessity of attending to one’s mental health. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll reported that up to 45% of adults experienced adverse mental wellness effects due to the pandemic – and an even higher percentage in those who function as family caregivers for older family members. Many employers are now implementing approaches to take care of the mental health of their employees, such as offering adventures and virtual trips to present the opportunity to escape and relax.
Final Thoughts
Between parenting, socializing, working, and running errands, the coronavirus has significantly altered how people live their lives. For many people, the public health predicaments have meant a sudden transfer to remote work environments as officials stress the vitality of social distancing. While there are advantages to working in the comfort of your home, the change can be challenging, and finding balance within your life can become more complex. If COVID-19 has left you feeling overworked, burnt out, and stressed, be reminded that you can always manage your work-from-home environment to create a better work-life balance
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