Transferable Mom Skill: Research and Problem Solving

If you’re a mom, you are no stranger to research. From the moment you found out you were expecting, you have likely spent countless hours poring over information in order to make the best choices for your kids. Birthing methods, feeding plans, parenting techniques, and schooling choices are only a few of the many decisions parents face. Not to mention choosing between all the myriad options available for things like car seats, strollers, and high chairs, oh my! 

Then there are the issues that pop up that you never saw coming. Perhaps ones you never even knew existed! From major crises like medical issues and injuries to the everyday snags that are regular occurrences in life with kids, parents encounter problems that need solving nearly every day.

Whether you realize it or not, in researching and choosing the best options for your kids, you are using valuable skills that are highly sought-after in the workplace. Many managers report having a hard time finding people skilled in research and problem solving, so these skills make you a valuable asset. If you are considering returning to work after a career pause, use this to your advantage.

As you prepare your resume and cover letter, be sure to include research and problem solving in your list of skills. Once you land an interview, use the following talking points to show potential employers how the ability you’ve honed as a mom to find and implement solutions makes you an asset they don’t want to miss.

Positioning Research and Problem Solving As Valuable In The Workplace

Are you good at researching the issues and decisions you face every day as a mom? Do you know how to recognize a problem and identify what needs to be done to address it? These transferable skills are not only valuable to your family - they can also be put to great use in the workplace!

Here are a few ways you can position the research and problem solving skills you’ve developed in your mom life into a valuable asset a potential employer would love to have:

You are skilled at identifying problems and needs.

Think of all the decisions you have had to make as a mom, starting before your kids were even born. From crazy issues that can arise during pregnancy to safety concerns, illnesses, care methods, and parenting matters every year after, you tackle them all. In order to find solutions, however, you first have to identify the problems that need to be addressed and needs that must be met. In the workplace, this finely-honed skill of recognizing when something is not right or not working well and pinpointing the source of the problem will help you provide valuable solutions for your company.

You know how to track down answers (and you don’t stop until you do).

There are few more motivated forces than a mama bear with a problem to solve. Think about how many late nights you’ve spent consuming the latest pediatric research or reading reviews of every piece of baby gear on the market. Whether it’s medical symptoms, behavioral issues, or childhood development stages, you know how to find answers to your questions, and you leave no stone unturned until you do. This dedication to research and problem solving will benefit future employers as you turn your focus and motivation toward meeting their needs.

You can compare options and choose the best solution.

When it comes to parenting issues, the problem is often not a lack of viable solutions but rather a slew of (often conflicting) options to sift through and evaluate. As a mom, you have become skilled at comparing various courses of action and choosing the best one for your family’s particular make-up, values, and lifestyle. This skill will carry over into the workplace as you evaluate possible solutions and find ones that best align with your company’s values, resources, and goals. 

You won’t be thrown by unexpected problems.

As a parent, you learn to expect the unexpected. You plan and prepare as much as possible, but surprise issues constantly pop up that require quick action. As mentioned in the adaptability and agility post, these curveballs don’t faze you. Not only do you know how to research the decisions you see coming, but you also know how to do it on the fly. This skill of batting unexpected pitches with competence and ease will help you rise to new challenges in the workplace as adeptly as you have at home.

Other Mom Transferable Skills

Research and problem solving are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to transferable mom skills. When preparing your resume, cover letter, and interview talking points, consider your other mom skills, such as adaptability and agility, strategic thinking, communication, and organization. For even more mom skills that transfer to the workplace, click here.

Need Support Returning To Paid Work?

The summer is coming to a close, and school will be back in session before we know it. As you think about your kids going back to school, you may be thinking about going back to work yourself. If so, Parents Pivot is here to help! Set up a coaching session with Anna for customized support working through this stage of your transition, and consider joining our next THRIVE group coaching session to gain confidence, clarity, and community as you return to paid work.

Transferable Momma Skill: Adaptability and Agility

If there’s one thing moms learn how to do pretty quickly after becoming a parent, it’s adapt. Unexpected challenges, changes to plans, and sticky situations are part and parcel to mom life. Learning how to stay flexible and think on your feet is key to responding well to the inevitable stresses, demands, and surprises of parenting.

If you are considering returning to work after a career pause, don’t underestimate the edge this gives you as a potential hire. While vital in the home, this skill is invaluable in the workplace as well. Adaptability and agility are highly sought-after skills, especially in the current work world filled with constantly-changing job environments.

As you prepare your resume and cover letter, be sure to include adaptability and agility in your list of skills. Then, once you land an interview, consider using the following talking points to show potential employers how the ability you’ve honed as a mom to adapt and learn makes you a front-runner candidate for the job.

What’s the Difference Between Adaptability and Agility?

Though adaptability and agility are closely related, they are not the same. 

Adaptability is the ability and willingness to respond to changing circumstances. It involves learning new skills and assuming new behaviors. It requires an awareness of the changes in your environment and the flexibility to respond accordingly and effectively to the new conditions successfully.

Agility, on the other hand, is the speed at which you can adapt and evolve. It is the ability to work swiftly and seamlessly in the face of changing environments, new challenges, and novel situations. It requires an open attitude, clear thinking, and an ability to change course quickly.

They work hand-in-hand, and mothers usually have both mastered. It seems like every week schedules change: naps get dropped, school is on break, or new activities are added to the routine. Acknowledging that these changes affect more than one person, and helping others to adjust to the changes, and quickly, is what keeps our family unit working like a well-oiled machine.  

Positioning Adaptability and Agility As Valuable In The Workplace

Those descriptions sound familiar, right? Think of a workplace team in the same state of mind as your family unit, and you can easily see the similarities. Communicating that skill to potential employers is important for setting yourself up as the ideal candidate, but it’s not always easy to know how to do so. Especially for moms who have taken a longer career pause.

Here are a few ways you can position your adaptability and agility as a mom into a valuable asset that a hiring manager wants in the workplace:

You quickly provide solutions when unexpected challenges arise.

Daily life as a mom is full of sudden changes. Even with the best planning and most effective schedules, unexpected challenges arise. Kids get sick or hurt and need to be tended, babies have blowouts requiring hazmat-level clean-up, and toddlers veer from their nap routines on the most inopportune days. None of this fazes an experienced mom! You know how to go with the flow, recognize what needs to be done, and quickly create solutions to overcome the changes and keep moving forward.

In the same way, when things change in the workplace – a critical team member gets sick, a deadline gets moved up, or the client throws in a new request – you can quickly come up with a solution and creatively move things around to still complete the task at hand. It may not be easy, but you have the adaptability and agility skills to not freeze, but instead move forward with the end goal still in your sights.

You successfully rise to new challenges.

Motherhood is basically one new challenge after another. Regardless of how many books you read or blogs you follow, no mom really knows what she’s doing until she experiences it herself. And from the expected challenges - such as birth or potty training - to the ones you never see coming – like broken arms or behavior issues – you rise to the occasion. You do the research, learn new skills, and face each one with determination and resiliency.

In the workplace, you will rise to the occasion, facing new challenges head on with confidence that you will succeed and overcome. Just with a different strategy than what you were originally planning.

You can work cohesively with a diverse group of people.
Not only can you adapt to new situations and changes to plans, but you are also experienced in adapting to different people. If you have more than one child, you know how to address varied (and often conflicting) personalities and needs. 

Through this valuable transferable skill, you will build cohesion and teamwork in your future place of work regardless of who you are working with. You are skilled at adapting to different personalities and working to find common ground that finds solutions everyone can agree upon.

You are a strong leader. 

When life throws curveballs, your kids look to you to see how to field them. As a mom, your calm, positive example influences their resilience and ability to adapt. You know how to create order out of chaos and guide your family through the unexpected. You exude strength and wisdom.

In the workplace, this will make you a strong leader as you show your team members how to evolve effectively and positively to changing circumstances and new challenges. You acknowledge the hardship, but encourage everyone to think positively and keep going. This type of leadership is contagious, making your entire team stronger because of it.

Other Mom Transferable Skills

Adaptability and agility are key transferable skills, but they’re not the only things you have going for you! There are several other mom skills that translate well to the workplace, such as communication skills, organization skills, and strategic thinking. Be sure to consider those as well when preparing your cover letter, resume, and interview talking points.

Need Support Returning To Paid Work?

Parents Pivot is a great resource for anyone looking for one-on-one and group coaching to set up your transition back to the workplace for success. Contact us today to start the conversation and move one step closer to landing your dream job.

Transferable Momma Skill: Strategic Thinking

Summer is coming quickly and that means that our momma brains are already starting to kick into overdrive. School being out for the summer means we have to prepare for rearranging daily schedules for new extracurriculars, summer camps, and vacations. Even during a pandemic, things change from season to season and I’m guessing you are already in your planner looking at the months and days!

Whether you realize it or not, summer time takes a lot of strategic thinking, planning, and adaptability on your part. And I’m guessing you are knocking it out of the park!

By taking care of all of those logistics for your family, you are using skills that are valued and sought out in the workplace. If you are thinking about returning to work after a career pause, don’t underestimate these important skills that you are developing as a mother. You are likely using strategic thinking every single day inside your home and not even realizing it. 

Hiring Managers and Recruiters will take notice of these skills listed on a resume and cover letter. And once you land an interview, don’t shy away from explaining how your hard work at home will translate into proactive strategic thinking that will benefit their short and long term plans for growth, team building, and collaboration.

Positioning Strategic Thinking As Valuable In The Workplace

It’s not always easy to know how to communicate your mom skills into workplace transferable skills. It’s all about the confidence in knowing what employers are looking for and why you are the perfect person to fill their vacant role.

Here are a few ways you can position motherhood’s strategic thinking as a transferable skill in a way that employers will notice.

It will be rare that important tasks or possible issues will slip by your radar. 

Think of all the things that need to get done on a day-to-day basis around your home. You adapt to ever-changing situations, routines, and schedules and yet little slips passed your mom radar. That sixth-sense won’t just go away when you are at work – it’s not built into your DNA as a soon-to-be working mom. When problems arise or the unexpected happens, you’ll keep moving and catching the balls as they (try to) drop.

You can factor in the interests and tastes of their “target market.” 

It’s rare to have a family where everyone’s interests always align. Maybe your daughter loves outdoor ninja warrior obstacle courses and your son would rather play video games all day. Yet, you somehow find ways to choose family activities that everyone enjoys – or at least mediate compromises and negotiations that keep the peace. As businesses target audiences, decisions will never be made that please everyone. That’s where you come in. You can find the common threads that tie everything together to form a cohesive, streamlined message, keeping in mind what’s important to your “target audience”,  and plan to move forward. Especially if it means getting a little creative! 

You will excel at lining up the team’s moving parts for optimal performance. You are a pro at managing a team (AKA your family) at home. And everyone on your team has different priorities, schedules, needs, and goals. You can line up all of these moving parts to ensure your home is operating like a well oiled machine, placing everyone and everything exactly where they need to be for the best possible outcome.

You aren’t just talk. You can execute the plan. 

When it comes to finding great workers, a key thing that hiring managers look for is whether or not they think you can get the job done. They don’t want someone who talks a good game but then can execute the plan. You, momma, can do both. And do both well. You organize your families schedules, while also making sure your home isn’t in complete disarray. You ensure everyone is well fed, healthy, and active. You plan, execute, and then you adapt when things change. 

Planning For Your Future Career Without Sacrificing Summer Fun

You have more transferable skills than just strategic thinking! When preparing your resume, cover letter, and interview talking points, consider your communication and organization skills too. And as you plan your summer, you can plan for your future career too – without sacrificing fun! 

Need A Support Pivoting To The Workplace?

If you’d like some support from like-minded mommas, Parents Pivot also offers one-on-one and group coaching to set you up for success. Contact us today to start a partnership that will lead to pivoting back into the workplace and your dream job. 

Return to Work Success Story Part 3: Danielle Dobson

Transferable skills are critically important for moms returning to paid work. It builds value, confidence for both the working mom and for the teams they join. In the third part of this 4-part interview series with Danielle Dobson’s return to work success story, she lists transferrable skills that helped her put her foot back into the business world. To catch up with the interview, read part 1 and part 2.  

-----------

Anna: What were some of the transferable skills between parenting and working for you?

Danielle: Previously, I had a career in finance, so I developed skills and mastery around problem-solving, organization, planning and scheduling, measuring outcomes, and speaking to people. I was in audit, and my last role was internal audit, and I learned how to get things out of people by listening to them and understanding them. Financial literacy and awareness, I completely underestimated that. So definitely having that and just my general strengths that I guess I've always had—resourcefulness, motivation and drive. I just brought all those strengths and skills to my role of parenting.

Anna: But from your role of parenting to this new role that you have…

Danielle: Critical thinking. It might seem crazy, but I've got three young boys and have often had the case of “Who do I save first? The one who’s going to fall off the deck? The one who’s going to run out into the road? Or the one who’s just about to smash his head?” And people might say, “That has nothing to do with the business world,” but it's like lightning quick, and you have to prioritize.

And then things like scheduling. I have to get that person set up and all the obstacles out

of their way so they're in a good position to be able to carry on with this. Removing obstacles to set others up for success. That was a big one.

Creativity – As moms we’re incredibly creative with setting up connections and opportunities for our kids and other people’s.

Collaboration – with groups, with other parents, with teachers. Meeting the needs of people with entirely different objectives and emotional discombobulation, getting them to all move together in a team, is hard. So, motivation and drive. Finding out what makes people tick and how to motivate them to get in on the group mission.

Innovative thinking. You’ve got to be so innovative and creative all the time as a parent. Adaptability, flexibility, empathy, and perspective. I think perspective was one of the biggest ones. You have to always understand that person in front of you [unsure] and how to get the best out of them.

Anna: Definitely. Yeah, that's awesome. If you can work with a two-year-old and get the best out of a two-year-old, you can do that out of a 42-year-old.

Danielle: I think one of the biggest things is there’s a blessing and a curse. I didn't know anything about child raising, so I was feeling my way the whole time. And I thought the only way I can do this thing is to understand each of my kids, what makes them tick individually and uniquely. I brought my strength of curiosity to that. I was always asking, “What makes them do that? Why are they doing that?” trying to understand them. Because the only way I could do this parenting gig was to understand each one individually. Or trying to relate to them and motivating them by how they respond individually. There's no one size fits all. And there's a thousand books on parenting, but there's no one book. So, you’ve got to feel your way.

Anna: And I know that you use your research skills of figuring out all the pieces of information from those parenting books that were helpful for you. Just like you're figuring out all the pieces of the research that you're having to pick through for your book. I mean, I think that's really pretty cool.

Danielle: And I think the more we look for all of those similarities and how we show up in different realms, the more we can be congruent and have the flow. Rather than looking at how they’re all different.

-----------

This is a 4-part interview series with Anna McKay, Founder of Parent’s Pivot and Danielle Dobson of Code Conversations. If you are interested in learning more about how you can successfully pivot to paid work, contact Anna today.

Return to Work Success Story Part 2: Danielle Dobson

Welcome to Part two of a 4-part series where I chat with Danielle Dobson about her return to work success story. You can read part 1 here.

In this interview, Danielle opens up about the difficulties of transitioning to paid work, from finances to “love energy,” and shares her advice for moms returning to the workplace.

--------- 

Danielle: So, the thing about [transitioning to] paid work, it was hard. It took at least a year or two to actually accept that I was stepping into work again. I didn't want to have that responsibility. I wanted to keep doing my projects and not have to worry about the finance side of things. I mean, I did all the finances for my family — two countries’ tax returns every year. I’m comfortable with finances, but I didn’t want to have to be earning it only because I saw that it might jeopardize me being the best parent I can be. But I understand now that there is this other world that we can step into.

Anna: And it sounds like realizing for yourself that it was possible to also contribute to this human flourishing in the corporate world was helpful for you to connect into that as a way to work as opposed to this world of work that's only concerned about wealth and managing money and more money and shareholders’ wealth and making money for the company and stuff like that. So, it sounds like you were able to connect into a work world that aligned with your personal life.

Danielle: And the thing that I realize, too, and one of my research participants said, is that caring for others doesn't mean doing everything for others. We all care for others in different ways. And she said, “Love energy can exhaust you.” So, giving everything to your kids and your partner, if you feel like you're coming second all the time, then it's depleting. But if you can keep some of that love energy for others, and spread that love energy around where you don't feel that you're coming second, that then becomes an energy source. Recognizing that you are valued and your contribution matters in other roles, contributing to human flourishing in others, when viewed right, can provide a fuel source to help us give back to ourselves and our families. You’re getting a sense of value and contribution, because you don't often get that from your kids.

Anna: So what advice would you give to parents returning to work?

Danielle: Overall, the advice I would give is you're transitioning. You’re transitioning to a new stage and a new phase. So, don't fight the old one. Don't resist and fight and try to cling on to behind. Acknowledge you’re transitioning and stepping into a new world. Everything changes, and it might just be a reorientation rather than transformation, but things tweak. You’re moving into a new space. It’s totally okay whatever you feel in that, and adjust your expectations around it.

---------

This is a 4-part interview series with Anna McKay, Founder of Parent’s Pivot and Danielle Dobson of Code Conversations. If you are interested in learning more about how you can successfully pivot to paid work, contact Anna today.

Workplace Transferable Skill: Communication

We have all learned a lot about communication over the past couple of months. Whether you are an essential worker still working outside the home, working from home, laid off, or something in between, communication has become arguably more important in the world than it was pre-COVID-19. We’ve had to get creative and learn new techniques to keep things moving forward – and for our own mental health

Below you’ll find workplace communication skills that you have likely developed while at home during this time. Look for opportunities to practice and sharpen these skills to prepare for returning to work, whenever that may be.

When Face-To-Face Communication Isn’t An Option.

Face-to-face time is abundant with our immediate families right now, but we haven’t been able to have that connection with extended family, close friends, and co-workers. When in-person communication isn’t an option, it’s even more important to practice healthy email, phone, and video call etiquette. 

When emailing, don’t dive into the purpose of the email right away. Ask how the recipient is doing, how his or her weekend was, or just add well wishes to start your note. For example, “Dear Anna, I hope you and your family are doing well and staying healthy.”

When on the phone, smile! It sounds silly since they can’t see you. But a smile comes across in your tone. Don’t believe me? Give it a try! Call your best friend and do an experiment. Say a couple of phrases twice in a row - one without smiling and one with smiling. Ask which one was said with a smile. Was he or she correct? 

The best advice I’ve heard regarding communicating during the quarantine is to embrace the awkward, silent pause. Listen first. Pause often. And it’s OK if there is silence for a few moments. Allowing others time to think, collect their thoughts, and then respond keeps you from being the “one who talks over everyone else.” This applies to both phone and video calls.

When on a video call, try your best to find a spot with good lighting and a neat, nice background. This nonverbally communicates that you care about the conversation you are having and respect the person you are talking with enough to give them a positive experience with you. And for goodness sake, don’t be like the reporter on Good Morning America – wear pants! 

Communicating When Stress Is High.

For many, stress is high these days. Pressures at work to meet deadlines while also homeschooling and caring for children is enough to leave anyone exhausted. And with exhaustion comes a risk of decreased mental and physical health, high stress, less sleep...the list goes on. 

Keep these quick reminders top of mind when communicating during stressful times:

When stress is high, don’t try to hide it. Communicate your stress-level early to those who are in contact with you so they know what’s going on and you can work together to find creative solutions to help. That might mean moving a deadline, lessening the workload on your plate, or maybe even adjusting your work hours. At home, this could be something as simple as someone else takes over dinner duty for the week to give you a break. 

Ask for help and give yourself a lot of grace. Your coworkers and family members might not pick up that something is off. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And don’t beat yourself up over not being able to do everything on your own. We work on teams (and have a family) for a reason!

Be clear and concise about expectations. If your stress is being caused by a chaotic or confusing situation at home or at work, bring everyone together (zoom call works well for these) and reset expectations. Be clear and concise. Then leave plenty of room for others to ask additional clarifying questions so everyone is on the same page. To be clear, this happens both with or without a global health crisis, at home and at work, which makes this a strong workplace transferable skill!

Bookmark this helpful article from Forbes on 14 Things Emotionally Intelligent People Do In Times Of High Stress for more tips on communication during stressful times.

Practicing Workplace Communication Skills At Home

If you aren’t working right now, for whatever reason, practice these communication skills at home with your family. If you start looking for opportunities, you’ll find that you have dozens of chances to use communications skills at home that are transferable to the workplace. Here are a few examples:

• If your children aren’t completing their chores on time, communicate your expectations clearly for the next time. Then, set and communicate realistic consequences if they miss their “deadline” or don’t do a good job. Telling them in person and then putting it in writing on the fridge (if they are old enough to read) is a great practice.

• Practice communicating positive words. It can be difficult to keep a positive attitude when stuck at home with the same people...especially family! But we need to communicate when people have done a good job to reinforce that behavior just as we need to celebrate our successes to reinforce that behavior for ourselves. I love this quote from Ideas.Ted.Com “It doesn’t take 21 days to wire in a habit, says psychologist BJ Fogg. Sometimes, all you need is a shot of positive feeling and emotion, a dose of celebration. Celebrating is a great way to reinforce small changes — and pave the way for big successes.”

• Know how to communicate consequences or constructive criticism effectively. When you need to communicate a consequence or constructive criticism (at home and at work), it’s still important to avoid hurtful and demeaning words, body language, and tone. Be mindful that your own stress level can affect how you communicate, so try not to let that negatively affect your tone and choice of words unfairly.

• Invite your family members to communicate their ideas. As parents, it can be easy to make decisions without the input of our children. While you ultimately have the final say, invite your children to share their ideas for what you can have for dinner on Friday or what activity you can do for family night. You may be surprised by their creativity and fun ideas!

What other communication skills have you learned during the quarantine that you can bring forward when you return to work?

To uncover ten more workplace transferable skills that motherhood has taught you, click here. Find details on additional resources for working moms, explore our website here. We’d love to stand alongside you in your journey to return to work. Contact Anna today to start the conversation.

Workplace Transferable Skill: Organization for Moms

How is your work/life balance during the quarantine? 

While you’ve been home these last few weeks, you’ve likely found yourself unexpectedly juggling things you hadn’t previously. Trust me: You are not alone! It can be difficult to figure out organization for moms that works for our busy routines. Since schools, social engagements, and pretty much every other event have been closed, your life has changed massively. For many, this means working from home, children are at home instead of school, and a whole new life to manage without any of the usual activities. Throughout this process, you may have been asking for help from your family members, soliciting feedback from them, and initiating new structures throughout your home to keep the sanity. While it’s not easy, one silver lining is that the organization for moms that you are learning now is not just for moms at home - it’s transferable to the workplace!

As you’ve gotten closer to settling in to this new norm, consider some ways the organizational skills you’re sharpening are preparing you for the workplace. As a parent, you’ve been fully in charge of making changes (some that not everyone likes), improving workflow, and making transitions easier for those involved. Not everyone has the organizational skills it takes to do this. And it’s not easy. 

Well, working mom, if transitioning an entire family’s routine and schedule during a world-wide pandemic isn’t something to boast about, nothing is. Today, start thinking about your organizational skills in terms of your own workplace skills. Take advantage of this situation by honing these skills during this crazy time.

Organization for Moms

Strangely, with the new lack of activities in your world, it can feel like there are more things to organize. That seems counterintuitive, but it is true. Before, you may have had a full day of work, daycare pickup, and dinner, and evening activities. You were in a routine that was familiar. Now, with this temporary hiatus of most of your normal routine, it’s time to adjust to these changes and sharpen those organizational skills. 

Here are some organization tips to strengthen your skills while at home, so you can transfer them to the workplace later:

Time Blocking: Block off times on your digital or paper planner for specific tasks. If you don’t use a calendar or planner, now is the time to start. Even if you print off a weekly calendar to organize your to-do list, you will benefit immensely. Convert your to-do list to a calendar. If your kids need you to help with school work, block out time for each of them to get help. Consider any schedules the schools recommend and let your children know when to expect undivided attention from you. Block off time to focus on your own work or home needs. Time blocking puts you on a schedule, which will help you complete these tasks without the stress of constantly thinking about your todo list. But don’t forget to block off time for meals and fun activities, too!

Activity Batching: If you have several of the same types of activities, consider activity batching. Activity batching allows you to group similar activities together in your schedule so that you are more focused, your work is more streamlined, and you encounter less distractions. 

Michael Hyatt, an expert on activity batching, suggests that as you are more productive when you batch activities, you will spend less time on them, which frees up more time for other activities. Take a look at your own schedule and consider similar activities that you can batch together to streamline your workflow. Batch together similar cleaning activities or work activities. And use the quarantine to improve your activity batching now; in the workplace, this organizational tool will save you time and create more efficient work completion. Employers look for that in applicants.

Problem-Solving: At the end of the day, take some time to reflect on what went well and what did not. If you find something was a major problem that day – either a time suck or seemed unnecessarily taxing – spend some time identifying and solving the problem. If your children fought you every step of the way, brainstorm some ideas to find a solution that helps both you and them. If you found that it felt impossible to complete your own work, look at your schedule and see what can be done about this struggle. Consult others, do research online, and spend time on these thoughts. Solving these problems can significantly cut down on your daily stress and improve this at-home experience drastically. It’s worth the time and is a habit that, once developed, you can take with you to the workplace.

Frontload Tasks: Frontloading tasks when possible is an incredible way to invest time and energy into organization. Just like some people set their clothes out the night before or plan their meals for the week, frontloading is always an investment in the near future and your mental health. Consider some tasks you can do ahead of time. Batch them together and chunk them into your calendar. Maybe meal planning is more feasible since everyone is home right now. Get them in on the action and plan your meals for the week; you might even schedule who is going to start the meals or clean up each night. You may also save time by scheduling your bills to be paid--either automatically or just for the month or week. This saves time later, when you’d pay each individually as they come. In the workplace, frontloading skills show that you can anticipate what’s coming, plan for it, and make it less stressful.

Cutting the Fat: Now is the perfect time to cut out things that are not necessary for your family. Do you have subscriptions or memberships you’re paying for that you’re never using? Cut them out of your budget. Is your family over-committed to activities and regular events that you now realize aren’t helpful like you’d thought? Commit to skipping those when they start back up. In the workplace, cutting fat saves time, money, and energy. Take a critical look at what your family is spending time, money, and energy on and find things to cut. And when you’re interviewing or at the workplace, tap into this lean organizational skill as a reason you are a valuable resource.

Take advantage of this opportunity to sharpen your organizational skills as a mom. Take it a step further by maximizing your time management skills with these other tips on maximizing your work and home during this quarantine. Should you find yourself needing additional support, Parents Pivot is here for you! Set up a coaching call for one-on-one help!

Managing Difficult Conversations At Work And At Home

Managing Difficult Conversations at Work And Home | Parents Pivot

Parenting develops skills that directly transfer to the workplace. One skill you’ve practiced ad nauseum as a mother is having difficult conversations. No doubt you have discussed with your children why bad things happen as they’ve heard the latest horrible news story. Maybe you’ve had to explain how Mr. Teddy got destroyed in the washing machine or why certain words are major no-nos. 

As a parent, you’ve spent more than your share of time as a mentor and teacher to your children. You’ve honed your communication skills in unique ways--some less enjoyable than others. You’ve had opportunities to work through your child’s issues with your spouse, your child’s teachers, doctors, and other people who have worked with you and your children. Some of the more difficult discussions you’ve had may be with extended family members and friends who parent differently than you. And on top of all that, you’ve sharpened your listening skills, which is central to any communication skill. You’ve had to learn to decipher your children’s needs and listen to doctors’ recommendations and suggestions as your child has grown. 

Managing difficult conversations with children

Managing difficult conversations with your children is a master mom skill that you’ve honed in your time as a parent. Kids, other parents, and family members with unwelcome advice – they all require master conversation-management skills. Commonsense.org provides a great break-down of how to manage these types of conversations, specifically for children at different ages. 

Consider these tips for children at various ages:

• Ages 2-7: At this age, kids begin to start developing basic understandings of the world around them. In general, it’s good to keep the difficult news under wraps as much as possible. However, when that’s not a viable option, listen to what they know. Once you know this, affirm your child’s emotions, explain things as simply as possible using vocabulary they understand, and reassure them that they are safe. 

• Ages 7-12: Children this age have more understanding and awareness of the world but aren’t yet ready to analyze the issues like teenagers are. When difficult topics come up with these children, consider focusing on the positive things in the situation (like how many people acted heroically), be sensitive to their emotions or curiosities, and encourage them to evaluate the situation critically while they’re in the safety of your home. Kids this age will also need to understand the context of the situation as they evaluate the situation.

• Ages 13-18: Teenagers have major interest in what is being said online and what their friends think about topics. Getting over this hurdle can be difficult but you will still need to encourage them to engage in open dialogue with you. Admit when you don’t know something, ask them to consider solutions to big issues, and help them sort through the complex elements of major current events. Teenagers aren’t going to respond to lectures, so these difficult discussions may feel less formal but should still be intentional.

How to capitalize on these transferable skills

Taking these experiences and converting them into resume-ready, marketable skills is your next step. You’ll want to capitalize on your experiences during resume-crafting, interviews, and networking events. 

Here are some skills to highlight:

• Negotiating. As a parent, you’ve negotiated everything from allowance to meals and bedtime routines. In the workplace, these skills translate into negotiating sales deals, finding the middle ground for employees in your charge, and working with colleagues to find solutions to common problems. Discuss successful ways you’ve negotiated with your children and the benefits of the solution that eventually resulted from the negotiation. Explain that these negotiations were often made with a child lacking well-developed reasoning skills and why that makes you more qualified to negotiate with adults in the workplace. 

• Teaching and explaining. Moms spend an extensive amount of time explaining important things to their children and it takes a deep understanding of a concept to gather the necessary information to explain the ins and outs of a concept. With children, you have invested a lot of time explaining basic concepts in life as well as more complex things. Explanations about sad things when grandparents pass and simple concepts, like how to tie a shoe. As an employee, you’ll be able to use these skills in leadership positions and as a member of teams. Capitalize on your abilities to find out where someone is so that you can get them to where they need to be as you explain concepts and situations in the workplace.

• Listening. Having difficult conversations often begins by listening to others’ perspectives. Parenting naturally requires honing listening skills during discipline, difficult discussions, and other conversations. Parents need to listen to decipher their children’s concerns, needs, and complaints. Listening allows for better communication and problem-solving. Don’t be afraid to tout the listening skills you’ve honed as a parent. Give examples of how  your listening skills helped you solve problems with your children, spouse, or other related adult. How did listening help you provide a more well-informed response? How did listening help with problem-solving with your spouse or your child’s pediatrician? These same skills transfer to the workplace on a daily basis.

• Understanding the audience. Interpersonal communication issues often come down to not understanding the perspective of the audience. As a parent, you’ve spent considerable time focusing on understanding the perspective of others, including your children. Other parents often come from backgrounds and experiences that are different from yours, as well. In your experience as a parent, you’ve learned how to navigate responses to others who have a different perspective from you. This skill is important in the workplace, especially workplaces that have people from various backgrounds and perspectives. With these skills, you’ll be able to anticipate how to appeal to colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders in the workplace. 

• Perfecting tone. A person’s tone of voice can greatly affect how impactful and successful their message is. As a parent, you’ve had to manage your own tone during conversations with your children. The more effective your tone, the more successful the outcome will be. Ineffective tone can add to stress in the workplace and take away from progress and success. It’s important to discuss how you read the audience and use an appropriate tone of voice to help reach a successful outcome in a situation. As a parent, you’ve practiced using a calming tone during a stressful situation; that tone helps to relieve stress with heated emotions and turn it back to the facts at hand. This converts nicely in the workplace; colleagues who can use appropriate tone to discuss a project or issue will be part of work progress and workplace harmony. 

You’ve already got it covered!

The difficult discussions you’ve had as a parent (as well as other skills) are directly transferable to the workplace. And managing difficult conversations is just one example! Trust your experience as you reach out during network events, tout your skills during an interview, or put together a resume. If you need help or more clarification for doing this, reach out to Anna for one-on-one coaching. Parents Pivot is here for you.