The joys and struggles of being a work-from-home mom
Published May 14, 2023 07:15 am
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Updated May 14, 2023 07:15 am
Multi-tasking is undoubtedly one of the most valuable skills every mother possesses.
From taking care of their children and managing household matters to budgeting and more, mothers can excel at it all.
When the pandemic struck in 2020, a large number of companies implemented a work-from-home (WFH) scheme, leaving mothers with no choice but to juggle motherhood and work all within the same space and time.
With the increasing prices of basic commodities, some stay-at-home moms have also decided to step up and look for a job--or jobs--that will bring additional income to their household.
It sure is not a walk in the park, so this Mother's Day, the Manila Bulletin interviewed some mothers to get their insights on the joys and struggles of being a WFH mom.
Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo and her 19-month-old toddler, Caleb Aziel. (Photo courtesy of Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo)
"Wearing comfortable clothes while working is everything for a mom like me because I get to breastfeed my baby any time of the day. Lastly, I don’t need to travel early in the morning, allotting my 2 to 3 hours of travel time prior to the 8 AM working schedule just to be on time," the 26-year-old government employee said. "While WFH sounds convenient to me, it also has some disadvantages that made me half-heartedly shake my head 'no' hehe. Definitely, no weekend when my boss decided to follow up on some ongoing work or when an immediate task is assigned. The work schedule also doesn’t tell you if it’s too early to face your screen or if you are on overtime especially if the task is too urgent. No choice, they say," she said.
Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo and her two-month-old baby, Olivia Astrid. (Photo courtesy of Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo)
"The hardest part and the most challenging one is when babies are crying and I am currently on a stressful video teleconferencing; it made me want a duet with my babies. It feels like everything goes out of hand," she added.
Pearl Mae Joy Rabaca with her partner, Nathan, and their six-year-old son Ethan. (Photo courtesy of Pearl Mae Joy Rabaca)
"I know that this will be my problem from the beginning as a WFH mom. Because I know when you're at home you really need time management. I've been working from home for almost 2 years and it's a challenge how to start the day with everything in the right time frame," she said. "It's hard to divide the attention, it's inevitable that sometimes there are instances where you put your child first before your work when energy is needed. You can't focus on work when your child is sick. Plus you don't have a social life because you can't hang out with others," she added. Moreover, Rabaca shared that sometimes her attainment at work is compromised because there are emergencies that cannot be avoided. "It's stressful because it feels like my life only revolves around work and home," she said.
A never-ending balancing act
Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo, a mother of a 19-month-old toddler and a two-month-old baby, said that being a WFH mom is an advantage as it allows her to be with her children while making a living. It also grants her the chance to join her family in unplanned get-togethers.
Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo and her 19-month-old toddler, Caleb Aziel. (Photo courtesy of Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo)
"Wearing comfortable clothes while working is everything for a mom like me because I get to breastfeed my baby any time of the day. Lastly, I don’t need to travel early in the morning, allotting my 2 to 3 hours of travel time prior to the 8 AM working schedule just to be on time," the 26-year-old government employee said. "While WFH sounds convenient to me, it also has some disadvantages that made me half-heartedly shake my head 'no' hehe. Definitely, no weekend when my boss decided to follow up on some ongoing work or when an immediate task is assigned. The work schedule also doesn’t tell you if it’s too early to face your screen or if you are on overtime especially if the task is too urgent. No choice, they say," she said.
Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo and her two-month-old baby, Olivia Astrid. (Photo courtesy of Rachelle R. Elefanio-Amparo)
"The hardest part and the most challenging one is when babies are crying and I am currently on a stressful video teleconferencing; it made me want a duet with my babies. It feels like everything goes out of hand," she added.
Hitting two birds with one stone
Data analyst Pearl Mae Joy Rabaca also agreed that the WFH setup saves her an ample amount of time which she now uses on looking after her six-year-old child with special needs. "It's good because you don't have to go far, you're less tired, and it costs less because you're just at home," she said in a mix of Filipino and English. She added that her salary is also a big help to her child's therapy, vitamins, and checkups. The downside, Rabaca said, is managing her time between work and home duties.
Pearl Mae Joy Rabaca with her partner, Nathan, and their six-year-old son Ethan. (Photo courtesy of Pearl Mae Joy Rabaca)
"I know that this will be my problem from the beginning as a WFH mom. Because I know when you're at home you really need time management. I've been working from home for almost 2 years and it's a challenge how to start the day with everything in the right time frame," she said. "It's hard to divide the attention, it's inevitable that sometimes there are instances where you put your child first before your work when energy is needed. You can't focus on work when your child is sick. Plus you don't have a social life because you can't hang out with others," she added. Moreover, Rabaca shared that sometimes her attainment at work is compromised because there are emergencies that cannot be avoided. "It's stressful because it feels like my life only revolves around work and home," she said.
Motherhood vs. career
In a March 2021 survey commissioned by the professional network site LinkedIn, 88 percent of Filipinos have shifted to working from home since the pandemic started, with women, particularly working mothers, facing more difficulties as compared to men. "Close to half of working mothers (47 percent) have said they are struggling to balance their work and household responsibilities, with 42 percent saying their duties at home are getting in the way of their career development," it said. Meanwhile, research conducted by Deloitte Global revealed that 65 percent of working women around the world said that they have had more household responsibilities since the pandemic began. In the Philippines, 75 percent of WFH moms said that their household responsibilities doubled because of the setup making work and motherhood more difficult.