2020 has been one of those juxtapositions where time is flying by while remaining still, we are all trying our best to adapt to the uncertainty and find stable ground in the ever-changing circumstances. Nidhi Marwah, Group MD South Asia & GCC, The Executive Centre, says, "While I look back over the last few months, I see the lines blurring between a mother of two curious daughters and a managing director of three strong country markets." Nidhi Marwah adds, "This journey has taught me a few new lessons and reinforced some old ones."

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"In many ways, work-life balance and integration is a fundamental part of every person’s life as we all play multiple roles within different social contexts. It is a necessary part of our daily lives that we all juggle with and try to maintain. COVID-19 has presented us with a unique situation where social distancing rules and working from remotely has become mandatory for many and removed any illusion of separation between personal and professional life. Now more so than ever, work-life balance and integration have become a juggling act under the pressures of long-term working remotely. 

1. The Illusion of Balance

There’s never really a true balance between work and personal responsibilities; you win on some days, and on some days you learn. There’s always something new that develops. More than striving for a balance, it’s the process that is more valuable. As we aim to achieve a work-life balance, we introduce new methods to increase efficiency; better our time management skills; streamline our work or to lessen the workloads at home or find new ways to cooperate with others. Same team- different challenges. Whether it’s a colleague, a family member or a desired outcome, you have to play it by ear. To always do a rain check or an inventory check and to check the energies of the people you’re working with – be it your team, clients, family or children. And sometimes just ones won self. One must be flexible, agile and proactive. This constant need for balance is what throws us off balance in the first place. In uncertain times we need to hold on to our core beliefs, trust our instincts and have faith in our personal and professional experience, wisdom and knowledge to tackle on challenges head on one at a time. Constant Bench-press for the brain

2. The Dividends of Having Good Rapport 

Remaining connected and staying approachable is another essential aspect of being flexible and reactive. This needs to be constant, not staccato, it’s not just in the moments of conversation or brief dialogue when you’re delegating a task or need support and cooperation that you reach out to someone. A happy, relaxed and cooperative environment at home, at the office or a home office can be the difference between having a good day at work where your tasks runs smoothly versus a day of unseemly amounts of obstacles and challenges. Strong ‘ I got your back” dependable relationships with your colleagues enables you to be the first to know what’s happening on the front lines which is important now more than ever as we work remotely  and can’t just gauge the team atmosphere by observing the mood and chatter around the office. Similarly, having regular candid communication with children on what to expect of each other when you are working helps to set boundaries, and can foster mutual trust and respect as you allow your children to peek into your professional life. Maintaining healthy rapport and relationships with the people around you contributes directly to your productivity, mental wellbeing and capacity for successful work-life integration.

3. Maintenance Also Takes Maintenance To Maintain

Ironically, keeping a balance of anything in life also requires consistent maintenance. At home, I have always used timetables to structure my personal and professional life, as well as my children’s lives. For instance, every day, we chalk out time for any important scheduled calls/classes. We have a rule for no screen time after 5 pm and only physical activities such as an energetic Zumba, or a strengthening yoga jams or even cartwheel-a-thons. Since my children are used to having a routine, when I began to work from home due to the pandemic, at least the adjustments we made for them were more readily up taken as the concept of having structure was not entirely new or disruptive to them. 

4. It Does Not Have To Be A One Woman Show

I must admit there has been difficulty in maintaining a routine and “balance” between work and life under this pandemic, what I have discovered is that my children have started to appreciate my jugglery. They have volunteered themselves to help around the house more, and they’ve surprised me with their maturity and self-awareness that a home is a place which needs contribution from all family members to maintain and not just a “super-mum”. With their help, I can achieve a new mix of work-life balance, and I’m able to get a lot more time for bedtime storytelling, family time and even stargazing with the kids as I’m not living out of suitcase. a. This pandemic has taught me that when in need, it is important and OK to reach out and ask for help or delegation, whether its work or home, most people step up and meet you halfway if your articulate your need. It need not always be a one woman show all the time. This pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new working model. Working remotely can be a conducive and productive way of working. Moreover, I have discovered that with the help of family, a different form of work-life integration is achievable. One that I would never have imagined possible without this unprecedented extended period of working from home. 

5. Adaptability Is Key

 Uncertainty in any situation brings with it a designated amount of anxiety, this is natural. But 2020 has taught me that the faster we bring ourselves to adapt to new circumstances, the quicker we can excel at them. Whether it is adapting to my children being at home all day or adapting to video conferences from four different time zones, the less we dwell on the discomfort the better. Rather than lament what we have lost, this is a good time to appreciate all that we have. Whether it is trying to find a new career or trying to strategize a business continuity plan or trying to solve your children’s virtual school homework, the only sure shot to success is by staying receptive, reactive and open to change, challenge and solutions. As a working mother, I’ve always made changes to the way I balance work and life to adapt and support the challenges my children face as I watch them grow every day. And now that the way we work in our professional lives is also growing evolving just as rapidly due to the challenges of this pandemic, now more than ever, being adaptable and flexible is more crucial to work-life integration. Every once in a while, we will slip up as we evolve, and that's ok too!"