Prioritizing Family Wellness during Uncertain Times
- Brainz Magazine
- Sep 2, 2020
- 3 min read
Written by: Michelle Greene Rhodes, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise
Households across the world are adapting to juggle several responsibilities at a time as parents and children are both staying at home. As a result, improving family wellness, while staying productive may appear as an unachievable possibility as remote work may be characterized by anxiety, loneliness and pressure to excel professionally.
Struggling to draw boundaries between professional life and personal life, individuals working from home may be putting in long hours and doing domestic chores instead of taking periodic breaks. While this may appear productive, it is easy to feel burnt out and overwhelmed. Hence, it is crucial to clearly communicate expectations with coworkers to ascertain a flexible schedule to meet deadlines by prioritizing realistic and attainable deliverables for both.
Designating a workspace at home may limit disruptions and increase remote productivity. Communicating to children when their schedule is the busiest can help get cooperation from family members. While setting a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door can be helpful too. Creating a schedule that replicates a normal workday can improve efficiency. Using peak hours to tackle the most difficult tasks allows employees to take advantage of their creativity. Setting achievable goals can provide motivation to embark on a new work project or learn a new skill for personal development.
At the same time, breaks should be taken when required, to feel rejuvenated and focused once work is resumed. Employees must continue to build a rapport with their coworkers just as they did in-person, even though channels of communication may have changed. This will help to brainstorm stimulating ideas and seek feedback that will improve the quality of work.
Meanwhile, physical fitness garners productivity by increasing blood flow, concentration and improving overall health. Meditation and exercise are a great way to uplift one’s mood by healthily channeling one’s energy. Additionally, exercise helps with stress management by balancing cortisol levels in the body.
Children are filled with energy and curiosity, so keeping them at home, while addressing their educational and development needs can be challenging. Structuring the day with a foreseeable, yet flexible routine can create a sense of order in a chaotic time. This can ensure that children are coping well to complete their schoolwork, eating a healthy diet, completing chores as well as scheduling playtime to stay happy.
"At Greene Rhodes Consulting, we emphasize fundamentals to help our clients practice empathy and compassion to improve family wellness."
Maintaining a structured environment to improve the effectiveness of e-learning is necessary as parents and caregivers transition to homeschooling. Replicating a classroom environment with digital tools prevents distractions and promotes engagement. At the same time, children’s screen time may increase. Outlining a plan that defines time limits for each activity can be helpful, so time is not eaten away from reading, playing outdoors, connecting with family, or getting the required amount of sleep.
At Greene Rhodes Consulting, we emphasize fundamentals to help our clients practice empathy and compassion to improve family wellness. Developing healthy habits can ward off stress, provide emotional support to one another, and help families to power through during a time of crisis.
How can you incorporate wellness into your family that in turn will increase productivity in your professional life?
Michelle Greene Rhodes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Michelle G. Rhodes is a Corporate Wellness Consultant and is Certified in Managed Care and Licensed as a Registered Nurse. By combining her love for Managed Care/Population Health background with her innate ability to create educational programs and cost savings solutions that are uniquely designed for each employer, Michelle is sought after for her multiple successes in cost saving and exceeding targets. She has helped corporations craft wellness programs that offer definite returns on investments and assists them in meeting and exceeding their annual performance measures and goals. Michelle creates various wellness initiatives for awareness campaigns all the way to the creation of wellness culture transformations. Michelle Rhodes Media LLC is also a continuing education provider for Nurses, by the California Board of Nurses, and provide workshops for Nurses to learn continuously.
