Ways to Boost Your Career Post COVID-19

Where do you want to be professionally in a post COVID-19 world? According to CNBC, “Young workers, those with lower levels of formal education, Hispanic and Asian women, and minority workers more broadly, are among the demographic groups hardest hit by the tens of millions of job losses generated by the COVID pandemic.” Many of these women and others like them have lost their jobs or have had their hours and earnings significantly cut back.

What this means is that many women are going to be looking for new jobs after this is all over. Since there will be many people competing for jobs, it is important for women to do all they can to boost their career opportunities post COVID-19. Here are five things you can start doing today to better your career tomorrow.

Update Your Resume

The first thing you want to do is update your resume. Unfortunately, many of us don’t update our resumes regularly and just wait to update them until we are looking for a new job. When we do it this way, we forget about the many things we have accomplished. That’s why experts recommend regularly updating your resume. For example, the next time you complete a big project, add it to your resume instead of waiting. Plus, it is important to update your resume with your current career goals in mind. Your resume should highlight the skills and experiences that will help you land the career you want in a post-COVID world. And don’t forget to update your resume on LinkedIn!

Learn Something New

If you are hoping to move up the ladder in your current career or move into a new career, then it is wise to learn something new that applies to the job you want. Fortunately, this is easier than ever before. You can enroll in a wide variety of free or paid online courses that can teach you hard or soft skills that are beneficial to your career. Check out Udemy or LinkedIn Learning to see what is available in your field.

Find a Mentor and Return the Favor

It’s hard to ask for help. But if you have a mentor, it is much easier to get help. That’s because the whole purpose of having a mentor is having someone who can guide you towards career growth. Sometimes you learn just by watching them. If your current workplace does not offer a mentoring program, then find one on your own. Find someone who is a bit ahead of you and ask if you can take the person out to lunch to get some career advice.

Then, return the favor. Being a mentor to someone just entering the workforce will not only make you feel good, but it will also help you grow. You’ll be surprised by how much you learn about yourself and your career by sharing your experiences with someone else.

Use Social Media for Networking

Facebook was founded as a social networking site. The keyword here is networking. With so many social media sites today, we tend to forget the initial intended purpose was for networking. When it comes to boosting your career, social media is a great tool for networking. Make sure your social media is professional and then start connecting with others in your industry. If you haven’t started networking on LinkedIn, now’s the time to start!

Digitize Your Professional Materials

You seldom send out paper resumes nowadays. Instead, it is important to make sure you digitized your professional materials. Since so much job searching, recruiting, and interviewing is done online, it is wise to have a file dedicated to your professional materials. This means creating a file that contains your updated resume, cover letter, and portfolio that you can easily access and send to potential employers. Depending on your career, you may want to create a website for these types of materials that you can easily link to when applying for jobs.

2 Tricks That Made Me Super Productive

Confession time. I struggle to be productive at work – especially when I have to work from home. As much as I try to do all the right things – get up on time, sit at a designated workspace, set aside time to time work on emails – I still never get to everything on my to-do. What mom does?

And the less productive I am, the worse I feel. I’m not saying you should measure your worth by how much you can accomplish in a day. I’m talking about basic productivity, as in being productive enough to do your job and do your job well.

For instance, studies have found, “most workers are no more than 50 percent productive at work!” That means half of the day we spend at work, we aren’t productive. Instead, we are falling into rabbit holes on the internet or doing other tasks unrelated to work. When you add in having to work from home during the pandemic, it is even harder to be productive.

I talked to a friend recently, and she shared some of her best productivity tips. I decided to give her tips a try, and I am happy to report that they actually work! These two tips have radically changed how much I can get accomplished during the day and have made me super productive.

Getting Rid of Distractions

You hear all the time about the importance of getting rid of distractions, but there are so many things vying for our attention. Instead of saying you’ll simply avoid checking your email, scrolling through your social feeds, or exploring random topics on the internet, do something to force yourself to block these distractions.

For instance, the Freedom productivity blocker allows you to set up a personalized block lists of the websites that tempt you. Then, you can block yourself from these sites for a set amount of time across your devices. In other words, you can’t cheat and scroll on your phone when you are supposed to be working on your computer.

Embracing the Pomodoro Technique

Even if you have gotten rid of the distractions, it is still easy for your mind to wander. I don’t know how many times I have just wasted time doing nothing. But I have found a technique that works wonders. It is called the Pomodoro Technique.

The Muse explains, “The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Using this method, you break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks. These intervals are referred to as pomodoro. After about four pomodoros, you take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.”

It works wonders for me because it brings out my can-do competitive nature. I know I’ve only got 25 minutes in a pomodoro, so I stay focused on the task at hand to see how much I can accomplish before 25 minutes is over. It shocks me how much I can actually get done in 25 minutes when I am focused!

Plus, it both rewards my focus and gives me a short distraction break. I know at the end of the pomodoro that I get a five-minute break to check my notifications or scroll. And those five-minutes ae a great way to keep me in check. I mean, how many times do we tell ourselves we are just going to play around on our phones for a few minutes before it turns into 45 minutes?

Don’t worry if this sounds too complicated for you to keep track of yourself – there are tons of pomodoro productivity apps available that can track them for you!

7 Ways to Keep Your House Clean with Kids Home All the Time

All moms have heard the saying, “Cleaning with kids in the house is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.” But what are we supposed to do in 2020 when the kids are in the house all. the. time?

Within the first few weeks of the pandemic, our clean house was starting to show signs that it was lived in. In other words, it was messy.  Between virtual schooling, working at home, and the kids having nowhere to go and nothing to do except make a mess, things started to pile up. But the usual chore charts weren’t working.

Here are some of the things I am doing instead to keep the house clean with kids home all day every day.

1. Let Them See You Clean

I remember being told by a wiser, more experienced mom the importance of cleaning while the kids were awake. There are so many moms who do chores during their kids’ naptimes or after bedtime. All this does is put all the housework on you, and it keeps kids from learning how to clean a house. Instead, vacuum right under their feet, load the dishwasher while they are at the counter, and fold the laundry in front of them. Children learn by watching you.

2. Give Them Age Appropriate Chores

But don’t stop at just letting your kids see you clean – they need to clean, too! It is important to give your kid’s age-appropriate chores. And, the sooner, the better! Even toddlers can help out around the house. WebMD has a great list of age-appropriate chores for kids starting at age 2.

3. Reward Their Hard Work

And when the kids do their chores the right way, make sure you reward their hard work! This can vary from giving them praise and compliments to giving them an allowance. Consider your kid’s love language to know type of reward that will work best.

4. Offer Choices

We like having a choice, and so do our kids. Try giving them choices when it comes to chores, such as, “Will you clean the dishes or dust the living room today?” You are giving them a choice between two different chores – not giving them a choice between doing chores or doing nothing.

5. Create a Cleaning Playlist

We call cleaning a chore for a reason. It’s not exactly fun. But there are ways to make cleaning a little more enjoyable, such as creating a cleaning playlist of all the songs your kids love. Plus, you can use your cleaning playlist as a timer to get chores done. For example, tell your kids they have until the end of the playlist or a certain number of songs to get their chores done.

6. Make Them Work for What They Want

Many moms have found success by making kids work for what they want. In this scenario, you don’t let your kids do what they want until they do what you ask. For example, you withhold the Wi-Fi password or TV privileges until their chores are done.

7. Get the Whole Family in on the Cleaning Action

During the quarantine, I’ve had cleaning success by making cleaning a family affair. Every Saturday, we work together as a family to do some deep cleaning before we start to enjoy the weekend. Working together helps it get done faster. And, we are teaching our daughters that they can contribute to the family unit and help the household.

What tips do you have for keeping a house clean with kids home? Share in the comments!

How to Avoid Distractions and Focus While Working from Home

The work from home struggle is real – especially for those of us who typically do not work this way. Since the coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of Americans to start working from home, we have been thrown into a new workplace full of distractions making it harder to focus. If you are finding it hard to focus while working from home, here are some things you can do to avoid distractions.

Turn Off the TV

Yes, it is super tempting to binge on Netflix while you are home and have full access to a TV without your boss knowing. But, it is super hard to stay focused on work with the TV on, so turn it off.

Avoid Chores During the Workday

While at home, you can distract yourself from work by focusing on all the “work” you need to do around home. If you spend the day doing chores, you won’t be able to focus. Instead, make it a rule to only do things around the house after your workday is done.

Set Aside Time for Emails

If you get bombarded with emails that keep you from staying on task, set aside time to check emails rather than checking each time you receive a new email. For example, opt to check emails from 8 – 9 am and then from 3 – 4 pm, and be sure to let your coworkers know your email hours.

Start Each Day with a To-Do List

Before you begin working each day, make a to-list. Write down your goals for the day, as well as identify the items on your to-do list that are “must-do’s” versus “may-do’s.”

Have a Dedicated “Office”

With mobile devices and Wi-Fi, it makes it possible to work anywhere in your home. The problem is that you can choose a different place each day and you don’t typically do this at work. Instead, you should have a dedicated workspace. No matter if it is your kitchen counter or a desk in your living room, make a point to work in the same space each day.

Create a Family Code of Conduct

If you have kids, then they will likely be your biggest distraction. Since you and your kids are working from home, create a family code of conduct. Some ideas: 1.) No TV during the day. 2.) If mom is on the phone and a kid needs something, kids should either wait or silently put their hand on mom’s arm (rather than yelling for her).

Turn Off Notifications

If you get all sorts of notifications on your phone from social media or news sources, you absolutely need to turn these notifications off. You can check your notifications when work is done – they aren’t going anywhere.

Take Breaks

Sitting and staring at your screen all day isn’t healthy either, so be sure to take breaks throughout the day. If this is a struggle for you, set alarms to go off after chunks of time to remind you to get up and move.

Use Tools to Block Distractions

Some websites and apps are just too tempting, and we need help to avoid them. If this sounds familiar, then utilize tools like Freedom to block tempting websites and apps like Offtime to block distractions on your mobile device.

Allow Yourself Time for Distractions You Need

Lastly, it is important to allow time for the distractions you need. You deserve a break to watch videos on YouTube or scroll through Instagram, so allow yourself to do so during set times, such as lunch.

What Will the Kids Remember About the Coronavirus Quarantine?

When the stay at home orders came and schools closed, parents went into overdrive. We suddenly had a lot more on our plates. We started working from home, as well as being our kid’s substitute teacher and virtual assistant. But, on top of it all, the thing that has kept parents up at night is wondering about their kid’s overall wellbeing.

As adults, we never experienced something like the COVID-19 pandemic. Our school years were never suddenly interrupted. We didn’t spend all day every day at home with just our families for well over a month. So, for adults, we understand how bizarre this all is. But do our kids?

The answer is yes. Even the youngest kids do know “something is up.” Kids can feel their parent’s stress, and they are fully aware that their routine is different. But that doesn’t mean they are doomed. This generation of kids may even be better for having lived through this experience.

Childhood Amnesia

Let’s start at the beginning. How far back can you remember? The truth is most of us don’t have many childhood memories from when we were younger than 7. Even then, our memories are a scattered collection of highs and lows. In other words, kids under 7 will likely have few, if any, memories of this quarantine experience. This is so prevalent that it has a scientific term – childhood amnesia.

According to Popular Science, “Kids can remember events before the age of 3 when they're small, but by the time they're a bit older, those early autobiographical memories are lost. New research has put the starting point for amnesia at age 7.” The older kids become, the fewer memories they have from their younger years.

However, it is still important to recognize that this pandemic will have an effect on kids in the near future, even if their memories become fewer as they grow older.

Kids are Living History

This is one of the few times when we are aware that we are living through history. So, we should take advantage of it! Talk to your kids about why this is an important part of their lives and their history. Spend time with your family creating a COVID-19 time capsule that highlights the things your family did during this time. Years into the future, this time capsule will be something your family treasures.

Check-in with Your Kids

While we don’t know exactly what our young kids will remember about the coronavirus quarantine, we do know they are already being affected by it. For example, did your kid suddenly start putting up a fight to go to bed? You’re not alone. So many kids started having bedtime issues that the New York Times even wrote Bedtime Was Hard Enough. Then Came Quarantine.

Therefore, it is important to continue to check in with your kids. Even preschoolers know things are different. Regression is to be expected. Ask your kids how they are feeling. Ask them what they are afraid of and what they miss. You may be surprised at just how aware your kids are about what has and has not changed. Most importantly, reassure them that even though things have changed, your love for them never will.

Who knows? Your kids may look back on this experience will fond memories. You have a rare opportunity to spend unlimited time together as a family, so try to make the most of it. When your kids are out of the house and raising kids of their own (can you even imagine?!?), some of your best family stories may be about this quarantine season.

10 Quarantine Date Night Ideas

At this point, I’ve lost count of how many days I have been stuck at home with my husband. Thankfully, we still love each other and are not wanting to strangle one another. But, I’m kind of over Netflix and Chill-ing every single night. I’m betting I’m not the only one. To help you get out of your quarantine date night rut, I’ve come up with ten at-home date night ideas for you and your partner.

Mix Some Drinks

I always wanted to take a cocktail class as one of my date nights but never was able to due to our busy schedules. Since we’ve been quarantining at home, I finally have time to learn how to make some cocktails! I made a Manhattan and was excited for Joe to be the first one to try my cocktail creation.

Cook a Romantic Dinner

Yes, we are eating together every night, but it’s amazing what a few candles, a nice bottle of wine, and some extra time in the kitchen can do. It will take dinner from the same-old, same-old to a romantic night in a flash.

Create a Spa Experience

I love a good spa day, but it’s going to be a while before I get back to my favorite spa. In the meantime, why not turn your home into a spa for you and your partner? Treat each other to a pedicure or a massage and release some of that quarantine stress.

Play Some Games

Have your kind of game night. Game night looks different for every couple. Some couples like to play board games, others like card games. You may want to embrace nostalgia and play your old game system favorites like Tetris or Mario Kart.

Draw and Drink

Draw and Drink are popular date nights, so try to recreate this fun and unique date night at home. Get your canvases, paints, and drinks ready and find the masterpiece you want to recreate. You can even search online for “virtual drink and draw” events.

Enjoy a Tasting

While you can visit a winery or a brewery currently, you can enjoy a private tasting at home. There are several companies that offer wine tasting kits, and many breweries allow you to make your own six-pack of beers.

Take a Personality Quiz

If you’ve ever wondered what makes your partner tick, then take an evening to do some personality tests together. You can take a Myers-Briggs or Enneagram personality test online. Upon receiving the results, you will learn why your significant other is the way he is.

Gaze at the Stars

Escape the confines of your living room to gaze at the stars. Bonus points if you have a beautiful balcony or backyard. Spend some time trying to identify your favorite constellations.

Learn a New Dance

If you’ve always wanted to learn how to dance but never had the time (or were worried about dancing in front of strangers), now is the perfect time to sign up for online couple’s dance classes! In addition to just simply looking up dance videos on YouTube, there are also several dance studios offering virtual couples dance lessons during quarantine.

Purchase a Subscription Box

If all else fails, then sign up for one of the many date night subscription boxes. Each subscription box is different, but they are all designed to make it easier for you and your significant other to have an enjoyable evening together. With a variety of activities, these are a socially distanced approved way to get couples out of their quarantine date night rut.  

Work from Home Struggles & Successes

Earlier this week, I asked about work from home struggles on successes on my Instagram account. Not surprisingly, I found we share many of the same struggles and successes. Working from home (especially if you are also homeschooling your kids) is hard work! There have been good days and bad days. Now that we’ve been at it for over a month, we’re beginning to see what we are doing well…and what we are doing not so well. Let’s take a look.

We are eating too much.

By far, the comment that showed up the most for work at home struggles was that we are eating too much. Many of us depleted our quarantine snacks within the first week. Why? It’s easy, and we are bored.

But we are snuggling more.

While eating more is not the best habit to embrace during this season, we are also spending our extra time at home snuggling our kids more. We are spending far more time with our families than before and surprising ourselves with how much we enjoy the extra snuggle time.

We aren’t getting dressed up.

As a whole, we are also struggling with getting dressed. Many of us have slipped into a nice routine of wearing pajamas to work. And for those who feel fancy, they are wearing yoga pants on bottom and dress shirts on top. We are wearing far less makeup (if any), and we aren’t doing our hair.

But we are getting more sleep.

A major perk of not spending as long on our appearance also means we are getting more sleep. We no longer feel the need to wake up extra early to shower and do the whole makeup and hair routine. We can roll out of bed and start our day. That may be hard to give up when the return to normal begins!

We are struggling with new routines.

At the same time, we are struggling with new routines. Many of us are creatures of habit – even in the office. And home does not work like the office, so there is a steep adjustment. Plus, those of us who are trying to work from home and homeschool our kids at the same time are struggling. It is a whole new routine – and it doesn’t work every day.

But we are still working out.

One routine we aren’t neglecting is our need to work out. While the gyms are closed, we are still finding ways to stay active and healthy. Whether we are working out in our backyards with the whole family or alone in front of a screen, we are doing what we can to work off all the extra calories we have been consuming.

We have too many distractions.

We are also finding many ways to distract ourselves and keep us from doing everything but work. Whether it is our kids or simply all of our own stuff, we are distracted and lacking focus.

But we are getting stuff done.

Yet, with all of the distractions, we are getting stuff done! Some of us are getting things done because of the distractions. Our dirty baseboards are distracted, so we’ve cleaned them! Our kids are distracting us, so we give them attention.

At the end of the day, whether we did a little or a lot, we can rest easier knowing we survived another day working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown.