How to be productive during quarantine
If you feel like everything is taking longer to complete these days, you’re not alone.
Sending a quick email or unloading the dishwasher can be a multi-step process as many of us struggle to meet our new demands as a remote worker, caregiver, educator and partner all at the same time.
In the process of writing this, I made a snack for my toddler, confirmed an interview time with a source, changed my baby girl’s diaper, Slacked with my editors, found a missing sock, checked on dinner and stepped on a Lego.
And, if I’m being really honest, at one point I got totally overwhelmed and fought back tears.
This is hard.
Actually, no. It’s impossible.
You aren’t going to be able to play all the roles and fulfill the needs of all the things that are demanding your attention the way you would like to.
And that’s okay.
I repeat: That’s okay.
These are extraordinary circumstances we are facing, and right now we all deserve a little grace — starting with ourselves.
Prioritize your to-do list. That means figuring out what needs to be completed by the end of the day and when is the best time to get those items checked off the list.
Pair activities wisely. You can fold laundry while participating on a conference call. But you can’t be on a call while helping your kid learn fractions.
Give into your kids. Spending a good chunk of undivided time playing with your kids will likely assuage them for a while so you can get some work done later on.
And remember that grace thing we talked about earlier? Don’t forget about doing that with yourself.
When your partner is now your office mate
His response? “Oh, well I work alone…”
Noted.
Working with your spouse can be a lot of fun, but it can also add a lot of pressure and stress.
What self-employed workers need to know about unemployment benefits
Self-employed workers have taken a major hit due to the coronavirus pandemic and they could be facing an uphill battle when it comes to jobless benefits.
Congress expanded unemployment benefits to include independent contractors and the self-employed. But this change means states would have to update their antiquated systems, which could take some time. Also, not everyone qualifies.
Relief is on the way
Here’s some good news: Stimulus payments are rolling out.
Worried about your student loans? Read this
Student loan debts were already crushing many people’s budgets in a good economy. Now, with millions of people suddenly without a paycheck, making payments is even more of a struggle.
In a big move, the government stepped in and hit the pause button on repayments. CNN’s Katie Lobosco reports that federal student loan payments are automatically suspended for six months and interest on federal student loans is being waived during the period.
Coffee break
Happy comfort eating!