Advance Your Career Working Remotely and Parenting
Advance Your Career While Working Remotely and Parenting: Here are 4 Tips for Success & Survival
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For many working parents, remote work is the new norm. In fact, there are offices around the country that will remain empty until at least the summer or fall. And over the past year, parents of babies and toddlers have scrambled to learn how to balance the needs of their children, run their household, and maintain a positive standing with their employers. This has left little room to even consider what it would take to change job roles, earn a promotion, or get a raise.
If you’ve started to think about advancing your career but aren’t sure where to start, Good Bad REAL Life offers effective tips for success and survival.
Set short and long-term goals for your career
According to Small Business Trends, 67% of surveyed companies anticipate remote work arrangements to be either a long-lasting or permanent change. Even when the COVID-19 outbreak is under control, businesses stand to save big by eliminating the expenses that come with leasing and running an in-person office.
With the future of your work life looking much different than it did a year ago, it’s time to reassess and establish your short and long-term goals. What do you want your life to look like next year? How about in five years? Do you want to remain in your current role, or do you want to be promoted? Do you even want to remain in your current field of work?
The objective of this activity is to provide you with clarity for your future. If you don’t have specific goals, career growth will be challenging to achieve.
Attend online networking groups.
In a 2017 report, the American Psychological Association emphasized the importance of professional networking. Not only does networking help you meet others in your industry, but it can also help you find new opportunities and build valuable long-term relationships.
Prior to 2020, networking group meetings were a significant time commitment because they were all held in-person. However, these meetings have now largely shifted to a virtual format. As a result, it is much easier for parents of little ones to attend these worthwhile meetings.
Don’t skip your self-care routine
When working to grow your career — while working remotely and parenting — it can be easy to focus solely on the achievement piece of the puzzle. With such limited time in the day, it makes sense to focus on the most critical functions of your life.
Don’t forget that your goals — and the quality of your parenting — are contingent on your wellbeing. That’s why regular self-care is a must. Even if you can only find five minutes at a time, practice meditation, deep breathing, reading, power napping, and anything else that feels restorative.
Consider an online degree program
If one of your career goals is to change your job or field of work, you may be required to earn an additional degree. While the idea of going back to school, working, and parenting may sound unrealistic, there are reputable online programs that offer a high level of flexibility. Some degree programs let you tackle coursework at your own pace, which is essential for those who have full-time work and parenting duties.
Earning a new degree (such as an online business degree) can help you grow your business acumen in real-time — especially for those specializing in business management, management and leadership, or marketing.
If you are like most parents, it is still a daily struggle to balance remote work and caring for your young children. Despite the ongoing learning curve, following these strategies can be incredibly effective and practical when looking to advance your career. Although it may take more time than you’d like, remaining patient and giving yourself grace is key for growth.
