Being a parent and having a career can be challenging to balance; especially with remote working due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you can relate to this – being a working parent, then meet Rosie, The Administration Hub’s Senior Team Manager, and a working mum of two toddlers. We sat down with her to learn her secrets behind being a successful Virtual Assistant and a working parent.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working at The Administration Hub?
A: I love the team atmosphere; everyone is so helpful and uplifting and I think you really need that when working from home. I know if I am stuck with something I can pop it in the group chat and someone will know or be able to help me. It is reassuring that you aren’t just stuck on your own with no one to ask for help.
Q: What would you like someone who’s interested in applying for a VA position to know about the job?
A: Working from home has it perks but it isn’t easy, you do have to work hard to get to where you want to be. I think there is a misconception that you work from home and earn loads of money and just get handed clients, but you need to show you can deliver what the clients need, and you must be committed. Working from home isn’t as isolating as people think, team managers are there to say hi to or check in with if you have a question. It’s lovely to be able to have the home/work life balance with the children and knowing you are around for those moments you may miss.
Q: Tell me what a typical weekday looks like for you (work and personal)
A: Typical weekday for me would be getting up with the children at 6am and making breakfast and watching some television. Go for a walk by myself, exercise, and me time, which is a must if you’re home 24/7 working and being a mum. I take the children to childcare, and work on tasks for various clients. Cleaning, making lunch and collecting the children from childcare. I continue working when I get home and play and eat dinner with the children. Then tidy up, bath time and bedtime for the children. I finish the day with tidying the house and finishing any work I haven’t done that day; then sit down and watch tv before I go to bed around 11pm.
Q: How are you able to balance work and personal life?
A: I love working, I also love being a mum, I couldn’t be a stay-at-home mum and never work. I balance it by having a routine, that is key for me. I suffer with anxiety and find that working helps channel that. For me working is good for my mental health and good to have that balance of being a mum but also independence of my own money and using my brain every day.
Q: What was it like switching to remote working?
A: After working in London for 14 years I really enjoyed the change – no commute, no office, not having to think about what dress to wear or what train to get. I am a bit of a homebody and love to be at home, for me it was easy, and I find at home I am so much more productive.
Q: What advice can you give to working parents in the same situation as yourself?
A: Don’t stress the small stuff, if the house is messy so be it. There will always be time to tidy. I set boundaries too and will always block out time in my day to make sure I make time for the children, so we always eat dinner at the table together and I make time in my day (even if it is a busy day with work) to do a puzzle, etc.
The pandemic may have created extra challenges in our lives, but we are proud of Rosie and our team of hard-working VA’s with how resilient they all are. Keep up the great work showing you can be a successful working parent.
Senior Team Manager, Rosie Beighton