Working from home with a young family: Katie Vandevelde shares how
If the thought of working from home with your child or children seems overwhelming, you’re not alone. The recent spread of coronavirus has made this situation a reality for many parents in recent weeks and adapting to new ways of working has been a challenge faced by many parents.
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Suncorp Customer Analytics Lead Katie Vandevelde has been solely working from home since returning from maternity leave two months ago; however, since the outbreak of COVID-19 Katie has had to reassess her day-to-day work schedule to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Now, with her husband also working from home in their small unit, and without relying on outside care for their eight-month-old son Jake, both Katie and Jacob have had to adapt to new ways of working by thinking outside the box.
“Since returning from maternity leave, I have a flexible work arrangement in place that allows me to work two-and-a-half days a week, solely from home – aside from popping into the office for the odd meeting,” Katie said.
Katie shared she’s been able make her new normal work with her young family by adjusting her daily tasks to include blocks of time around Jake’s schedule.
I've needed to adapt my routine...my husband Jacob and I have been tag-teaming.
Katie Vandevelde, Suncorp Customer Analytics Lead
Being able to take advantage of Jake’s naptime has been a game-changer for Katie and Jacob, meaning the couple can stay productive for prolonged periods and complete tasks that require a large degree of focus and concentration.
“Now without outside care for Jake, I’ve found I’ve needed to adapt my routine and instead work a half day, every day. My husband Jacob and I have been tag-teaming, where one of us will watch Jake so the other can work, and then we’ll both work while Jake is napping. It means we work longer days, but not continuously through the day,” Katie added about her innovative workaround.
“This won’t work for everyone or every role, but we’ve found what works for us.”
