(CNN Philippines) — In this day and age of gender equality where women are also immersed in the battle at the corporate career ladder, many mothers find themselves struggling to strike the balance between family and work.
Technology, media and parenting
One way to boost productivity levels is by using the technology that is available now. A study on parenting in the age of digital technology published by the Northwestern University’s Center on Media and Human Development found that parents use media and technology as a tool for managing daily life.
There are many apps that can be installed on smart phones, which can help busy moms keep track of the things that need to be done at home and at work. Most of these apps can send a notification when a task is due.
“Technology is just like any tool. It can be used for good; it can be used for bad,” radio DJ Delamar Arias told CNN Philippines, when asked how she thinks technology can help with parenting and productivity.
Andi Manzano, also a radio DJ who recently gave birth, admitted to using spreadsheets to keep track not only of her things to do but also to monitor her expenses.
She added that apart from using it to keep herself organized, technology also paved way for the use of social media, and that parents now can easily look back at their children’s photos.
“We can take nice photos of our kids on our smart phones now, and upload it on our social media accounts— whether it’s public or private. It would have been great if I had a trail of my childhood photos ever since I was born so I can look back at them. This is something our kids can enjoy now and probably when they get older,” she said.
Increasing productivity
Research found that the biggest ‘wall’ to success is often getting started. It’s easy to create a list of things to do, but it may be difficult to get the ball rolling at first, especially for a career woman who probably has a long list of tasks.
Once started, staying on track and having self-discipline is also important. Another study found that people who impose strict deadlines on themselves for tasks perform far better (and more consistently) than those who don’t. It’s easy to get distracted and veer away from a task, simply to call the children’s caretakers or to write down tonight’s grocery list.
Many also fall to the temptation of multitasking and for many it seems to be an efficient way to accomplish things. Some women tend to do the laundry, care for the baby, and check their e-mail at the same time. However, a study shows that multitasking impairs one’s ability to filter information, switch between tasks, and maintain a high-working memory. People feel productive when multitasking when in fact they aren’t.
The pressure of juggling multiple responsibilities is something that mothers are very familiar with. It’s not an easy feat, but being productive both at work and at home can be achieved.
