It happens all the time. You’re waist deep in an exciting but stressful project, when it hits you: this is going to take way more time. Or this is going to take way more money. (Sometimes even ‘this is going to take a lot more alcohol’—haha totally kidding!) Whatever it is, you simply cannot hit the deadline or deliver your deliverables as originally planned. It happens, and it calls for a rescope.   

Rescoping can be somewhere between annoying and stressful, but there are ways to make the process smoother and make sure all parties are satisfied — because who doesn’t love the wonderful feeling of completing a project? Like with many things, project management, scoping, and rescoping is all about keeping open communication, managing expectations, and being honest with your capacity.  

Back To Square 1

Smooth rescoping comes down to smooth scoping initially. We obviously can’t go back in time, but it never hurts to revisit how we create scopes of work (SOW) to begin with. So let’s take a trip down memory lane and go over what exactly is in a SOW:  

Objectives: What’s your goal? What are you accomplishing with this project? Why are you doing it in the first place? 

Outcomes: Objectives and outcomes are intertwined. While the objective is a bit more tangible, it ends at the deadline, whereas outcomes extend beyond that. Will this grow readership? Will it increase audience engagement?  

Stakeholders: Identify everyone who needs to be in the loop with this project.  

Deliverables: What are the tangible items you are creating? How many? What do these items need to contain? 

Timeline/Schedule: Timelines are all about defining progress. Yes they’re about start dates, deadlines, phases, and milestones, but creating deadlines is an opportunity to define what progress looks like to you and to check in with yourself about what you’re taking on.  

Tasks: Time to get specific. What are the steps you have to take within each phase? What are the objectives of each step? 

Budget/Estimates: What are the estimated costs? What is your compensation? Will you be paid by the milestone or all at the end? If you are being paid for a certain amount for a chunk of time, what is your hourly rate should you surpass that time? 

Change Opportunities: The best way to rescope a project is to have the opportunity built into the project. This doesn’t mean you’re giving your client permission to completely change the deliverables or outcomes on a whim — at all. But it’s a safety net that allows you to deal with unexpected changes. Timelines are a great place to make room for rescoping. With every milestone, give yourself a chance to make sure you’re on track with a little wiggle room to pivot if necessary. You can also incorporate a change request process: if your client finds they need to make changes, create a specific plan for how that would work, including an approval process, and a way to track the changes. 

Scopes of work are like any outlines whether it’s art or writing: the more specific the better. If you can add visual elements, you should. Remember, this is an agreement between you and your client, and you need to be on the same page at all times.  

Now, onto rescoping.   

Communicate!

Okay so you and your client have been on the same page, but you’ve run into an issue (ideally, at one of the change opportunity points you have created for occasions like this!). Identify the problem, and communicate that to all the parties involved as soon as you can. Sometimes you can fix an issue quickly, and sometimes it takes more effort but either way, letting your stakeholders know as soon as possible and maintaining open lines of communication is really important.  

Reorganize.

Outline exactly how you’d like to address the problem and any ripple effects it may create in a realistic manner. Do you need a new timeline? Do you need a bigger budget? Do you need to bring in a subcontractor? Do you need different deliverables or even different milestones or benchmarks? Creating a solution will probably require even more detail than the original scope, so give yourself space to thinking of consequences, intended and unintended. 

It’s also really important to be honest with yourself about the work and what you’re able to do. Be realistic with your plan. Timeliness will always be crucial, and certain projects will push us, but creating timelines or tasks you cannot follow through on will only make things worse and more frustrating.  

Communicate again!

That’s right. Even if time is really tight, it’s best to make sure all parties involved agree and approve the changes or the new plan. And while on certain projects the client may trust you to do what you gotta do, in general, try not to go rogue and make decisions on your own.  

I know I spent the last few hundred words talking about how important openness and communication are, but at the same time, you still want to make sure you have clear boundaries for yourself. At the end of the day, your time belongs to you, and a client calling you when you’re not on the clock is not cool!   

Do the thing.

It’s time to put the new plan into action with the updated changes. And it will go well because you’re good at your job and are also good at communicating!  

As you probably know, the only constant thing about life is change, and that goes for everything, especially work. Things don’t always go according to plan (in fact, sometimes it seems rare when they do), so when they don’t go right when you’re waist deep in a project, just remember it’s all about being prepared, keeping in touch and communicating, and being honest. 

About the author.
Sam Mani writes about work, creativity, wellness, and equity — when she’s not cooking, binging television, or annoying her cat.  

Over the past year, five years, ten years, longer depending on what you’re counting, our hyper-awareness of global and national pain, injustice, and suffering has catapulted. Depression and anxiety levels are at an all time high in the United States — and amidst pandemic, protests, and ongoing conflict, is anyone surprised?

Depression and Anxiety in the COVID Age

In the early months of the pandemic, circa April 2020, depression rates more than tripled according to a survey conducted by the Boston University School of Public Health. Further surveys confirm that we’re holding steady with a quarter to a third of the population consistently reporting symptoms of anxiety disorder.

Writer and Experimental Psychology PhD, Dana G. Smith, explores the way our literal brains might have changed over the past year in her in a two part series titled Your Poor Pandemic Brain. The TL;DR is that our chronically stressed out brains have been changing to adapt, and not always in good ways. As adrenal glands release cortisol in a continuous stream instead of in pulses, microglia start to prune more synapses than necessary, including necessary and functional ones. This can make stress worse in a messed up feedback loop that impairs memory, impulse control, and ability to manage stress.

So if you feel dumber when you’re stressed and depressed, that’s because your brain is straining itself as a result of the excess cortisol your body is releasing. Not cool. Especially since chronic stress can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders.

Here are some sobering statistics:

  • Mortality from suicide has increased about 17% since 1981
  • About half of US adults will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime
  • About 20% experience a mental health issue each year
  • Workplace stress — at baseline — accounts for about $190 billion in health costs and $1 trillion in lost productivity
  • 84% of workers report they are not comfortable discussing mental health with an employer

Who feels the brunt of the devastation?

So here’s the picture: we’re isolated, grieving, anxious, and depressed, but, as usual, the most affected can be drawn along lines of class, race, gender, age, and other differentiators that lie upon a complex spectrum of privilege, like job prospects and education.

According to Smith, the people at highest risk for developing all sorts of maladies are those with the “most stressors and the fewest resources.” As reported in a September 2020 study, “lower income, having less than $5000 in savings, and having exposure to more stressors were associated with greater risk of depression symptoms during COVID-19.” Living alone as a young adult or in a household with children is another big indicator of anxiety.

Certain groups experienced chronic stress at higher levels pre-pandemic, but stress for these groups has only gotten worse through factors onset by the pandemic, such as financial instability. Those at greater risk include:

  • Younger people
  • Women
  • Black and Latinx adults
  • Tribal members of Indigenous communities
  • Those without a high school diploma
  • Healthcare and other frontline workers
  • People who have had COVID
  • People grieving the loss of a loved one
  • Young adults living alone
  • Living in a household with children
  • Lower income individuals
  • Those with less than $5000 in savings
  • Those with exposure to more stressors

According to Oregon Health Authority data, Black, Latinx, and Native American communities are at the highest risk of contracting COVID, as well as dying when they do contract it — and that data lines up with figures seen across the country. The CDC reports that the five key social determinants of health are:

  • neighborhood and physical environment
  • health and healthcare
  • occupation and job conditions
  • income and wealth
  • education

Racial and ethnic minorities often experience barriers to wealth accumulation, housing opportunities, and education because of historical laws and mandates (such as redlining) that have legally prevented them from doing so. This is not to say these barriers exist exclusively for BIPOC identities, and that many BIPOC folks don’t overcome these circumstances and thrive. For example, white Appalachian communities experience many of the same disparities. Human stories cannot be boiled down to statistics. However, a nuanced look at statistics can show us who is disproportionately affected because of systemic circumstances. Here are some more numbers.

NYC death rates from COVID -19:

  • 35 per 100,000 among Asians
  • 45 per 100,000 among Whites
  • 74 per 100,000 among Hispanics
  • 92 per 100,000 among African Americans

Many American are susceptible to severe COVID-19 illness because of underlying health conditions, but some communities have higher rates of these conditions often because of lack of access to fresh groceries and affordable healthcare. That looks like:

  • 20% of all US adults under 65
  • 34% of Native Americans
  • 27% of African Americans

While tribal communities, most notably the Navajo Nation, have also been severely affected, they have also been extremely effective in their vaccination efforts despite rural distribution. More than 60% of Navajo adults are fully vaccinated and most other times have vaccination rates that exceed the national average.

Those are a lot of numbers, so what does this look like beyond statistics?

Social Epidemiology

According to Elizabeth Walsh Yoder, the lead epidemiologist in Clay County, Missouri, when it comes to health equity and diving into social determinants of health, “COVID has just exposed what has already existed since this country was colonized. That fact is that people with brown, black, yellow skin, they don’t have the same access to a healthy life as white people do, period.”

Some of these determining factors include the ability to work from home or take paid time off if a person has to quarantine. Jobs that don’t allow telework (like service industry professionals, factory workers, delivery people, drivers — as in the those bringing your Amazon packages and Instacart or Door Dash deliveries to you — healthcare staff including nurses in hospitals and long-term care facilities) are “all the jobs ten to be occupied by people of color,” explains Yoder. This makes them disproportionately exposed to the virus, which is why we’re seeing higher rates of infections and death in poor communities and non-white communities.

Not only that, but “they aren’t making as much money as everyone else so when you compound that, these jobs don’t offer paid time off, they may not pay a living wage, the benefits probably aren’t great either, which means they don’t have access to care. So then, if they do get sick, they usually don’t seek care until it’s really really bad, and that’s why we’re seeing more deaths.”

Healthcare has become such a polarizing political issue that it has evolved into a public crisis. Yoder explains, “There is a lack of understanding that giving other people access to healthcare, doesn’t take away their access … They think they’re going to have to pay for it [through taxes], but they’re already paying for through premiums or expensive hospital bills … Just because [an expensive hospital bill] is not getting paid through Medicaid, doesn’t mean we’e not paying for it elsewhere.”

And then, there’s vaccination. While some states are making strides, many have fallen behind. “We still have inequities in who’s getting vaccinated,” explains Yoder. “The one big thing we can do to make things better, we are still not getting to the people who need it the most, and that’s our fault. We did that. We have perpetuated that.”

To that end, Hello Black America! is part of an initiative between Jacob Kornbluth Productions, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Black Coalition Against COVID to ease the justifiable fears of Black Americans when it comes to the COVID vaccine.

It’s not just COVID.

Of course, if it was just managing the physical and mental effects of COVID, we’d already have our work cut out for us. Unfortunately, we’re in the midst of a power keg of social unrest. For the empathetic and informed, it can be exhausting and heartbreaking to bear witness to one tragedy after another both domestically and globally. However, when you’re a member of these communities, the mental and emotional burden is much worse.

Deaths to innocent men, women, and children have an excruciating toll on the communities affected most — disproportionately Black Americans. The stress of managing the global movement of protests and activism also takes a toll on Black organizers. Family and community members experience recurring grief as every new death serves as a reminder of the people they have lost or could lose someday under similar circumstances.

We’ve also seen a rise in hate crimes for various minority groups across the country. Since the onset of the pandemic, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been targeted in public spaces. A large percentage of these crimes are against the elder population. While 2020 crime statistics have not been released, Stop AAPI Hate received more than 2,800 reports of hate incidents last year. Children have also been targeted and bullied at school. While the COVID-19 hate crimes bill has passed in the Senate to fight this kind of discrimination, there are plenty who publicly oppose these kinds of protections.

Antisemitism has also skyrocketed during the pandemic, although it was already rising on 2019. According to the ADL, 63% of Jewish Americans have experienced some sort of antisemitism in the past 5 years. Last December, New York synagogues were graffitied with nazi symbols, and those have shown up repeatedly on campuses and other public spaces.

Islamic Americans have also faced their share of hate crimes throughout the pandemic. When you have a public that is unwilling to participate in a shared reality (for example, that there exists an extremely contagious virus identified as COVID-19 that seems to affect people differently based on some factors we understand and some that we don’t), the only possible outcome is creating scapegoats through ethnic and religious minorities.

What does that mean for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives?

Understandably, diverse employees are struggling the most: Only one in six reports feeling supported through the pandemic. This only highlights the intersection of who has been hit hardest by the pandemic, social unrest, systemic injustice and targeted hate crimes — in addition to history and unconscious bias.

Even before COVID-19, women and men of color have incurred an emotional tax in the workplace, meaning they feel the need to be on guard to protect against discrimination or bias. A report by Catalyst found that not only do diverse employees pay that tax, but companies do too, by losing talents and revenue as a result.

Award-winning photographer Eva Woolridge explains her experience:

“It’s exhausting to be a minority in a corporate space. When the wave of BLM movements happened in June, our work day was going to go on as usual if I didn’t write to the entire NYC office that I was struggling to operate because of the very real institutional racism of my everyday experience. And what’s worse is to be taken seriously, minorities have to put their trauma on a platform. I had to recount the years of abuse me and my family experienced at the hands of police as well as my daily experience on a corporate platform for the realities to even be addressed. I was happy they finally listened, but I shouldn’t have to recount trauma to prove this is a reality for all minorities.”

When we discuss DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) initiatives, a lot of thought goes into giving opportunities in the workplace, but when the external factors that govern our lives keep some people playing more difficult games of mental gymnastics, or struggling with their physical health, a major piece of the puzzle goes missing.

Erin Lee, a New York based DEI and Leadership Development consultant thinks an upfront approach and acknowledgement of people’s lived-reality would go a long way. “I think on a basic level, managers can acknowledge what is happening right now socially and politically and let team members know they are open to dialogue if their direct reports want to talk about anything,” explains Lee. “Signaling safety proactively is something they can do to let people know that it’s okay to talk about the emotional toll of everything that’s happening.”

It may not always lead to conversation, but it’s an important first step, Lee continues: “Then employees have a choice whether or not they would like to open up. Another thing managers can do is share about their experiences and concerns as well to normalize these conversations.”

Yoder offers additional solutions to companies looking to step up their game, starting with opening up who is in on these conversations. “If you have one person of color, that doesn’t cut it,” she explains. “You need multiple people at multiple levels of the company making decisions.”

The following questions are a good place to start:

  • Who are your lowest wage workers?
  • What do they look like?
  • How much money do they make?
  • What does the company look like from top to bottom?
  • What kinds of education requirements are you including in your job descriptions?
  • Does the salary offered reflect those requirements?
  • Does the role you’re hiring for actually need a Bachelor’s degree?
  • If you’re requiring a Bachelor’s degree, are you paying accordingly?
  • Does your benefits policy negatively impact your lower wage workers (especially in regard to parental leave)?

What can we do as individuals?

First and foremost, take care of yourself. Make sure your physical, mental, and emotional needs are met. Drink water, eat a nourishing meal, try to sleep. Take breaks from social media if you need to, if you can. Check in with your friends. Acknowledge what is happening in the world. Be gentle and generous. Here are some more in depth tools to incorporate intersectionality into your self-care and mental health advocacy:

 

About the author. 
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed. 

What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?

I’m a freelance graphic designer and work for myself: I do web development, illustration, custom design, and more. In addition, I work with Creative Circle and design the Cognitive Art data visualization in the new client-facing newsletter, The Creative State of Work.

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How long have you been doing graphic design?

I have been doing graphic design professionally for 14 years. I kicked off my career with 10 years full-time at an advertising agency, specializing in pharma. For the last 4 years I have been doing freelance design work across all different types of industries and projects.

I went to school at Temple University, to the Tyler School of Art, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic & Interactive Design. It was a phenomenal program because it was built on the foundation of robust art. Before diving into the world of graphic design, we were required to take art classes, which included painting, sculpture, figure drawing, screen printing, lithography, etching, photography, art history, and more. I also did a semester abroad in Rome — there’s no better place to study Art History and Photography when you have the Colosseum and Vatican in your backyard! Once we had a strong understanding and connection to these different artistic mediums, we transformed our knowledge and skill into graphic design, shifting to the computer as our main form of expression.

What are some of your design inspirations?

I follow fellow graphic designers and artists through social media, one of my favorites (also a fellow Tyler School of Art alum), is Jessica Hische. She creates beautiful typography and is a best-selling author.

Although most of my inspiration viewing is done online, I also like the tactical experience of flipping through books. A common go-to for me is The History of Graphic Design. The volumes span across different periods of times and styles. I also keep an eye out for the unexpected inspiration around me like the label design on an item I may have purchased at the grocery store or the beautiful designs inside the children’s books that I purchase for my son, Logan. Some of my favorite illustrated children’s books are by Richard Scarry and I love Rosie Revere Engineer (illustrated by David Roberts).

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What drew you to graphic design and front-end development?

I have always been passionate about art — specifically painting with oil and acrylic. Once I was introduced to what “graphic design” was and learned that the computer could be a tool for me to create art, transform it, and share it with the world, I was hooked. I love the challenge and journey of turning a thought or idea into something visual.

Where would you like to go with your design work in the future?

In the near future, I hope my freelance opportunities continue to be diverse, spanning across different types of companies and projects. As much as pharma ad agency life taught me (which I am very thankful for and wouldn’t be where I am today without it), at times it was quite constraining creatively. I am taking advantage of having fewer boundaries (read: less med/legal review) and using this time as a creative reset.

Even though I absolutely LOVE graphic design, I have two side goals that I hope to accomplish. The first is that I have a passion for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. My love for decorating started at my first real job at my neighbor’s cookie shop where I decorated specialty sugar cookies that we assembled into baskets and bouquets in lieu of flowers. My hope is to work in a bakery again one day, even if it’s a side job. When I am decorating, the icing and cake are just another medium for me to create and design!

My second design desire is to write and illustrate a children’s book. Since having Logan, I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering the wealth and breadth of children’s books — there are so many magical stories and unique styles of expression.
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What is a project that you’re currently working on that you’re excited about?

I am excited about all of the projects that I am working on right now. It’s true! For the past three months I have been creating the Cognitive Art for the monthly Creative Circle newsletter with a fellow CC member. This has been a blast to work on because I get to turn data and numbers into a piece of artwork. Any chance to force your brain to think differently is always an opportunity for growth.

In a totally different realm of design, I am working on a custom print project and a brand identity package. I am finishing up a wedding invitation for a simple and elegant bride. Wedding invitations are such a crucial element because they introduce the look and feel of the wedding. I also just finished a logo refresh/recreate for another client that owns a bakeshop. Now that the logo is final, I will be building a website which will align with the grand opening of their storefront.

How long have you been a part of Creative Circle?

Since March 2021.

About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

There’s a mental health crisis in America.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health of people of all ages, but even before the pandemic, the prevalence of mental illness among adults was increasing, affecting 1 in 5 adults – nearly 47 million Americans.

Numerous studies show that mental health in the United States is worsening among all age groups. While this is due for myriad reasons, one stands out: too many people are not getting the treatment they deserve.

Stigma around mental health and insufficient access to care are driving many people away from getting the care they need. 60% of young people with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment in 2017–2018. And among youth with severe depression, only 27.3% received consistent treatment. In addition, 23.6% of adults with a mental illness reported an unmet need for treatment in the same period — a number that has not declined since 2011.

You may be surprised to learn that in the United States, 55% of counties have no psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker — and 70% don’t have a single child psychiatrist. Wait times for substance abuse care can be weeks (or months) long: 70% of those that needed substance use treatment in 2017 did not receive it. To heap insult on injury, many practices have closed or reduced their capacity in response to pandemic health concerns.

Lockdown saw a spike in demand for therapy. With movement restricted, digital alternatives stepped in as traditional methods of treatment were unavailable. With a reported 36% of Americans sharing that COVID-19 has impacted their mental health, there is an overflow of new patients in need of support.

The United States has long suffered from a severe shortage of mental health care services. But the pandemic has spotlighted the effectiveness and availability of digital and virtual mental health care, and by doing so, may just have thrown a lifeline to our mental health system.

Digital technology and virtual care present an emerging opportunity to address Americans’ growing mental health needs and the shortage of providers. The digital mental health space has been in ascension for some time — but growth and adoption have been accelerated by 2020. Globally, investors poured over $1 billion into mental health and wellness startups in 2020 alone. As a result, innovative mental health providers are increasingly merging digital tools and virtual care to craft a robust ecosystem for end-to-end patient care, including guiding patients to in-person care when needed. This digital and virtual care toolbox provides the mental health care system with scalable solutions with flexibility baked in, while amplifying access and convenience for consumers.

It’s a digital revolution in the mental health space — and these are some of the leading players.

Talkspace

Talkspace has been connecting users with licensed therapists from the palms of their hands since 2012. They have also created a new digital Employee Assistance Program so businesses can connect staff with support on a wide range of issues, including mental health, finance, and even legal advice. During 2020, they offered thousands of free subscriptions to healthcare workers and first responders and discounted subscriptions for everyone else. The online and mobile therapy company is based in NYC and famously had Olympian Michael Phelps in their TV ads.

Calm

Launched in 2012, Calm is a meditation, sleep, and relaxation app that holds the concept of mindfulness as its North Star. With an aim to make the world “happier and healthier,” Calm creates unique audio content to tackle stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression. The most popular feature on the app is a 10-minute meditation called ‘The Daily Calm,’ which explores a fresh mindful theme and inspiring concept each day. Calm also has more than 100 Sleep Stories (yes! bedtime stories for adults), plus sleep music, mediation lessons, nature sounds, and more. And it’s popular: It won Apple’s 2017 iPhone App of the Year in 2017, garnered “Editors’ Choice” by Google Play in 2018, and has been voted the “the world’s happiest app” by a major study of 200,00 iPhone users.

Lyra Health

Lyra Health is a technology platform and mental health care provider that works with employers to screen, treat, and coordinate care for employees grappling with mental health challenges. They offer an array of in-person and virtual behavioral therapy to help remove barriers to access to high-quality mental health care. Lyra Health is unique in that it takes a deep dive into the health care delivery system, functioning as a conduit to ensure employees with mental health conditions get quality treatment by the right people. In addition, they employ doctors and can act as a medical provider. Business is booming for Lyra Health; they added more than 800,000 new members since the start of the pandemic and have joined the ranks of other health tech unicorns, having raised a $110 million Series D round in August 2020.

Headspace

Headspace is a mindfulness and meditation app founded by a former Buddhist monk who narrates most of the guided meditations. The company recently landed $140 million in new capital to continue building its vision of bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the people. Started in 2010, it’s an excellent app for beginners, with guided meditations, sleep techniques, and mindful workouts — there’s something on the app for all. Headspace is one of the top mindfulness apps globally, only second after Calm, according to Tech Crunch, garnering millions of downloads.

Mindstrong

Mindstrong is an innovative mental health app that pairs patients with a network of providers to deliver personalized mental and behavioral healthcare via a digital biomarker tracker of mood and cognition that analyzes patterns of smartphone interaction. Turns out that how we navigate our phones is an indicator of cognitive and emotional health and can reveal as much as a psychological test. The app (which just raised $100 million in Series C capital this past week) monitors things like how a person types, taps, and scrolls while using other apps. The seemingly mundane particulars of how you interact with your phone offer surprising insights into your mental health and can, according to the company’s data, reveal, for example, a depression relapse. Mindstrong aims to predict and act preemptively when possible. Phone interaction data is encrypted, analyzed remotely using AI, and the results are shared with the patient and their medical provider.

Changing cultural sentiment, evolving technology, and increased funding are making mental health accessible to more people — a huge opportunity to address one of the most significant unmet needs in American healthcare today.

Many employers have begun to embrace the value of these digital mental and behavioral health services, with an incredibly robust uptake during the pandemic. They are offering them as core employee resources or discounted benefit services. And for great reason: a 2018 study published in the US National Library of Medicine showed that 86% of employees reported performing better and had lower absenteeism rates at work after receiving treatment for depression.

If you, your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors could all be just a bit happier, our society will indeed be a better place.

About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable. 

From the nagging mother in the Doo Wop hit who hounds her son to “Get a Job” sha na na na, sha na na na na to the four lads AKA the Beatles who “should be sleeping like a log” during “A Hard Day’s Night,” many songs throughout the years have a common theme. Work! They celebrate it, berate it, ponder it, reject it but nonetheless use career issues as the centerpiece for the lyrics. Even the Seven Dwarfs factor into this discussion. As they march in unison, they hum “heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go” in the 1937 animated Disney film Snow White.   

Find out about a cross-section of such songs and sample them too. Directly from the vault of Creative Circle comes this playlist all about business and employment. As you’ll note, those chosen to provide a mix of points of view and genres. Some are iconic; others are lesser known. Irksome at times, yet entertaining, they are, above all, good listening.  

Click here to view the playlist. 

“Workin’ for a Living” – Huey Lewis & The News, 1982

Rocking the Bay Area sound, frontman Huey Lewis and company croon about the rigors of certain occupations. The band does this in clever tongue-and-cheek style. “Somedays won’t end ever/And somedays pass on by/I’ll be working here forever/At least until I die.” The daily routine for this job segment is a grind, yet it provides barely enough money for rent and car payments. “I get a check on Friday, but it’s already spent.” That’s why “I’m taking what they giving ‘cause I’m working for a livin’.” Lewis wrote the song based on his experience as a truck driver before becoming a musician. He held some of the other jobs mentioned, namely busboy and bartender. These stints motivated him to create this “tribute to the working man” and woman. Catch the ‘80’s vibe and harmonica solo in this portrait of what it’s like to be “workin’ for a living.”    

“She Works Hard for the Money” – Donna Summer, 1983

Inspiration can come from any source at any time. In this case, an encounter with an exhausted restroom attendant at Chasen’s restaurant in Los Angeles served as the springboard for Donna Summer to co-write this song. It tells the story of a woman, a blue-collar worker, who “works hard for the money.” Summer credits the role model, Onetta Johnson, in the lyrics. “Onetta there in the corner stand/And she wonders where she is/And it’s strange to her/Some people seem to have everything.” This tune skyrocketed to number one on the Billboard R&B singles, where it stayed for three weeks. A signature piece for Summer, she performed it to open the Grammy Awards in 1984. Its message lives through the years: “She works hard for the money/So hard for it, honey/She works hard for the money/So you better treat her right.”  

“Work to Do” – The Isley Brothers, 1972

He’s a busy guy. The person portrayed in this song has “so many things to do/Oh, I got work to do/I got work baby/I got a job baby/I got work to do.” Perhaps his lady love feels ignored, as though his interest in her has waned. But he insists that’s not true. He would “love to spend more time.” But he can’t because “I gotta make it for you and gotta make it for me.” Don’t fret, that’s the way it has to be for now. “So keep your love light burnin’” and “get used to me/Coming home a little late.” The Isley Brothers tell it like it is with a cool blend of funk, rock and soul and heavy percussion. After all, “everybody’s got work to do/Oh, so much work baby/I got work.” It’s rhythmically pulsating and in the groove!      

“Get a Job” – Gossip, 2012

Perfect ring tone material, this catchy tune makes a decisive point. “Girl, you better get a job/Oh girl, you need to work real hard.” The number of occupational pursuits is endless but the need for one is critical. Why? Lacking gainful employment “was adorable when you were in your 20s/Not so cute anymore now that you’re pushing 30.” From the album A Joyful Noise, this song is the creation of the singer-songwriter known by the stage name Beth Ditto. She formed the indie rock band Gossip in 1999, which recorded five studio albums, this being on the first. The lyrics underscore the importance of work, which it conveys by repeating that word consecutively eight times. And it acknowledges that finding it takes grit and effort. “You gotta try, try, try/I know it’s hard but/You never know, how it’s gonna go, end up tomorrow.”   

“Hard Workin’ Man” – Brooks & Dunn, 1993 

The title track of the album by the same name, this song tells the story of a man who “Got everything I own/By the sweat of my brow/From my four-wheel drive to my cowboy boots/I owe it all to my blue-collar roots.” He “can ride, rope, hammer and paint/Do things with my hands that most men can’t.” But he “can’t get ahead no matter how hard I try.” So, he’s “burnin’ my candle at both ends” by doing many things. He also “like[s] to party hard.” But “Come Monday mornin’, I’m the first to arrive” on the job. Decidedly country with an up-tempo beat, this song hit number four on the US Country Charts and won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1994. No wonder — it’s rousing and rhythmic. Try not to tap your feet when listening — impossible! 

“Career Opportunities” – The Clash, 1977

Here’s something novel: a punk rock song that presents a life lesson. This English rock band advocates that, in considering “career opportunities,” even those who are unemployed should be careful. Don’t jump, if at all possible. Assess each option. “They offered me the office, offered me the shop/They said I’d better take anything they got.” That’s because “Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock.” Don’t be pressured or shamed into saying “yes.” Hold out for something challenging, rewarding, and suitable. Being without a job until the right one comes along may prove better than getting stuck in a role that provides no future and no hope. This boy band conveys this message in not such eloquent language and dulcimer tones, but gets the point across in raw style. When mulling over “career opportunities,” aspire to “the ones that never knock.”  

“9 to 5” – Dolly Parton, 1985 

A work playlist must, this is a Dolly Parton standard. She wrote it, performs it and, upon its release, saw it peak on three Billboard charts and receive an Oscar nomination for best song. The lyrics scale the emotional highs and lows of working, starting with “I tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen/Pour myself a cup of ambition.” It transitions to the frustrations of “working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living/Barely getting by, it’s all taking and no giving.” Then it stays downbeat: “They just use your mind, and they never give you credit/It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it.” And flips to the upside: “The tide’s gonna turn, and it’s all gonna roll your way/Working 5 to 9, making something of your own now.” Over the years, this rollicking tune has become an anthem for workers, especially women.  

“Take this Job and Shove It” – Johnny Paycheck, 1977   

Let’s face it — at one time or another, we all wanted to walk off a job. Something or everything gets to you. Who but a country singing star by the stage name of Johnny Paycheck could wail those thoughts into a number one hit for two consecutive weeks? When you pay close attention to the words, you may get the impression the man featured in this song is only contemplating this drastic action. Or is he actually calling it quits? “I’d give the shirt right offa’ my back/If I had the guts to say/Take this job and shove it/I ain’t working here no more.” It’s a powerful phrase, forceful, seething with resentment and memorable. It must be all that and more because it spawned a movie of the same name in 1981. Both the writer of this song and Johnny Paycheck had minor roles in that film.   

“All Work and No Play” – Van Morrison, 2002    

More than 30 years after scoring a mega hit with “Moondance,” Sir George Ivan Morrison, known to most of us as Van Morrison, laments about “All Work and No Play.” Why? Because it “makes Jack a dull chap.” Moreover, “When it comes to the crunch/It’s too much I’ve got to stop/No pain and no gain it’s driving me insane.” Sounds like a serious situation. So, what does this stressed out Jack do? He daydreams about being elsewhere, such as “down at the beach/Relaxing at the sugar shack.” What’s the moral of this story? Take a break, as in “chill out in style.” But don’t operate heavy machinery while in this mode. By all means, give this thumping bluesy work by this Northern Irish singer-songwriter and instrumentalist a try. It could be the pause that saves the poor chap in this song from “going down the drain.”     

“Money, Money, Money” – ABBA, 1976 

The Swedish pop group ABBA presents an interesting point of view. Not everyone relishes a career or sees work as a means to obtain the stuff you need to live and then some. The woman lead in this song presents an alternative to resolve this situation. “I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay/Ain’t it sad?/And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me/That’s too bad.” Is what she proposes an idea or fantasy? “In my dreams I have a plan/If I got me a wealthy man/I wouldn’t have to work at all. I’d fool around and have a ball.” Why is that? Because she’ll have “money, money, money” and days will be “always sunny.” Aha, the concept is to marry and marry up, way up. Hmm… exactly how does that work?  

Creative Circle wishes that you enjoy the melodies and messages in this collection of music. Now, with that said and done, get to work! 

About the author.
You name it, she covers it. That’s the can-do attitude Sherry M. Adler brings to the craft of writing. A polished marketing and communications professional, she has a passion for learning and the world at large. She uses it plus the power of words to inform and energize stakeholders of all kinds. And to show how all of this can make a difference, she calls her business WriteResults NY, LLC 

There’s long been a refrain among working moms in the United States that to get ahead, the “mama” part of their lives had to be hidden from view, lest they be perceived as undedicated to their career or somehow less suited to the job. And for mothers that are hourly wage workers, this burden is even more starkly evident.

As Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the University of Michigan, shared in a New York Times article on pandemic motherhood, “Covid took a crowbar into gender gaps and pried them open.” There is no hiding anymore. The struggles of working parents, but especially moms, have never been more visible. And yet this work — I’m talking the coordinating, scheduling, planning, multitasking, the mad hustle to make it all work, too often goes unseen. It’s the moms who tend to be responsible for the health of their families, worrying about germs (and viruses), handling the sick days, doctor and dental appointments, and being the default caregivers for older relatives. And this work is mostly unsung — a silent valiant slog to make magic happen from one-handed flint strikes.

Here, we celebrate the stories of four enterprising working moms, living in or near New York City, with three hailing from various countries around the world. Some married, some separated, some somewhere in between — these women share what this past year has taught them about being the real heads of their families.

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Jackie Marie Scherr

Age: 35
Rockaway, NJ
Married with a four-year-old son, Logan, who is severely immunocompromised, Jackie is a graphic designer and front-end developer who works with Creative Circle.

+         What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
The words that best describe my pandemic experience are positively challenging.

Before Covid, I had this WFH isolated life down pat already. For most folks, this was their first foray into WFH, but it’s been my life since Logan was born. Unfortunately, he’s immunocompromised and can’t interact with other kids in the same way, under the best of circumstances. Logan was born without a functioning bone marrow system and lived on blood transfusions until he was eight months old, when he underwent a full bone marrow transplant. He recovered from the bone marrow failure he was born with, but two years later developed a platelet disorder, ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura), which means he continues to need special care.

We, as a family, were already living in this more careful, isolated world. But the extra challenging part with an immunocompromised kid is that there’s an added nerve-wracking weight to all our choices. We were already living a cautious existence — this just kicked everything into a far higher gear.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I’m a freelance graphic designer and work for myself: I do web development, illustration, custom design, and more. In addition, I work with Creative Circle and design the Cognitive Art data visualization in the new client-facing newsletter, The Creative State of Work.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?
Logan has never been in school. Once I had him, I had to leave my advertising job because of the risk to his health. We did sign him up for Pre-K — but that was before Covid. We do a virtual pre-school and an outdoor storytime at the library.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
Luckily, I live close to my parents, and they watch Logan two days a week. But when they can’t help me, I work in the morning before Logan wakes, at night after bedtime, and during the weekend, when my husband is home. The beauty of freelance is that I try not to bite off more work than I can chew.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
Yes. Like anything else in a relationship, it took my husband and me a little bit of time to figure out how to balance things. The trick is that his job is the more sustaining one, our health insurance rests on it, and we’ve had to negotiate how we prioritize our various needs. He’s a detective and works in an office, so during Covid, it worked out in terms of our family health concerns. He wasn’t exposed in the same way he would’ve been had he been on a squad. Every night when he gets home, he strips down in the garage and showers before greeting us. Our circle is tiny. For months, Logan and I only went to his doctor’s appointments. Nothing else. We didn’t see my parents for a whole year. We mitigated every last possible risk we could.

+      What has been the most challenging thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
Feeling guilty. When I’m working and Logan is here, I feel the need to overcompensate with him because he can’t go to school. His interactions are so limited with other kids and people; I feel the need to offer more attention, more activities, more and more and more. I get nervous because he’s so limited in every other aspect of his life that I just want to take advantage of the time I have with him to teach and be with him. It’s super nerve-wracking and worrisome to exist in a pandemic where an ordinary person can be knocked down by this virus, which makes it that much scarier given how precarious Logan’s immune system is. And because of Covid, I didn’t have help from my folks for a long time, which left me to find some semblance of balance on my own.

+      How are you taking care of yourself?
My only me-time is at night when I shower. The end of the day is when I get to zone out, close the door, close the bathroom door, put my music on — it’s my time to chill.

+      Has there been a best part?
The best part is that WFH is much more acceptable now. And that’s been the more limited world that I’ve inhabited for some time. So now that it’s the norm, I actually feel less constrained than I have in the last four years — which is probably the opposite of most people.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
I think that the pandemic has been an eyeopener for a lot of male partners. Men are now seeing a lot of the chaos going on that they may not have understood before… I hope there’s change that comes from men seeing behind the scenes at all the work moms do to try to keep it all together.

Also, we need to put the kibosh on needing to be connected 24/7. At my old ad agency, if you weren’t connected all the time, you weren’t dedicated. My hope? That we learn that it’s time to sign off when it’s time to sign off. It doesn’t mean a lack of dedication; it means it’s time for life.

+ What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
Figuring out the balancing act of mothering and working isn’t an exact science. My advice would be just to give it time to work itself out. Communication is everything. Speak openly with your partner, and whoever helps you is a key to making it all work.

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Laura Limonic

Age 47
Brooklyn, NY by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Married with one daughter, Anabella, age 10, and one son, Alesandro, age 12. She is a Professor of Sociology at SUNY Old Westbury.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
It’s been difficult to manage both being at home with the kids as well as my own work. In large part the boundaries blur — too much — and my role as a mother often takes precedence over my role as a writer or professor.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I teach sociology at Old Westbury. I am currently writing a book about motherhood and the pandemic and also write about immigrant integration into the United States.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?

So, my kids technically go to school — they were able to go back two days a week, sometime in the late fall. But, before then, we had NO live instruction. Everything was asynchronous. They were just given a bunch of assignments to complete on their own. It was a disaster.

However, recently, they’re able to go to school four days a week, but… most of their classes are Zoom, so while they are in the classroom with other kids, they are Zooming with their teachers. Here’s why: No teacher is forced to go in four days a week because of issues of equity. Some teachers have gotten health accommodations. Pre-vaccine, they had comorbidities or had older relatives or infants in their homes. So, to make it fair for all teachers, they ask teachers who don’t have accommodations to only come in two days a week. Every school has done it differently. It’s not great for the kids.

At this point, they still have very little in-person instruction. My son has reading and science with live instruction, sometimes physical education — but very little. And one day a week is still asynchronous. They’re both home on Wednesdays and given assignments to complete on their own — that they finish in an hour tops, and then it’s up to me to invent things for them to do so I can get work done.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
Now that their classes are Zoom and not asynchronous, they’re more engaged, and I can get more work done. Last spring, we didn’t have any live Zoom classes — everything was asynchronous. And my kids finish the assignments quickly and get bored. They’re done. I was getting up at 5:30 am to work. There’s a lot of work that didn’t get done — a lot of articles that didn’t get written. A lot of conference proposals I didn’t submit. I was late on a lot of things. I think what happens is that, particularly for academics, now that I have tenure, I won’t get fired, but if I don’t publish, I won’t advance. Studies of women in academia show that the rate they submit papers for review has been much lower, whereas it has been much higher for men. It’s only served to stratify things further.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
A little bit. But what happens is that because my work is more flexible — and my husband’s work is not — I end up taking on the bulk of the childcare and household labor. Perhaps it wasn’t that my partner did it in the past, more that we paid someone to do it. I think it’s common, especially among middle-class families, that childcare is outsourced. Families often rely on babysitters, nannies, after-school, and household help like housecleaners — none of which was available for much of the pandemic.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
Mothers have always carried the mental load, and it has increased exponentially. Especially for mothers that work in thinking professions, it has become increasingly difficult to think. Mothers are planning and scheduling activities and academic enrichment on a much more intense level, making it more challenging to focus and think. When kids are in school, there’s a considerable chunk of time when you don’t have to think about these things: What are they doing for lunch? Are they on their iPads? It all takes up space — mental load —and doesn’t leave room for other things.

+      Has there been a best part?
Absolutely. It’s complicated to spend so much time with your family — but it’s also pretty awesome. We’ve done some amazing things together, and I’m deeply grateful. It’s hard to remember that when I want to kill them, but this summer was fantastic. We’ve had some really lovely times.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
A couple of things — the most significant being mandated leave. Both mothers and fathers should get six months to a year of mandated leave so that there is no shame in taking the time. Caretaking continues to be in the women’s realm, and while men now have some paternity leave at some companies, they often don’t take all of it, or they take it in chunks because there’s a stigma attached to a father taking time to be with his baby.

Another thing the government should do is provide subsidized childcare in year one. I’ve found in my research that so many mothers take on flexible work because once they have a kid and realize that the cost of childcare is so prohibitive and working hours are so long. Yes, they may want to be home with their kids, but their choices are, in large part, due to cost — and they never catch up. They may have thought they’d go back to work, but the realities don’t add up. For instance, once they’ve moved to non-profit law, it’s tough to move back to corporate law. And then you don’t have these moms in the BIG jobs who can advocate for younger mothers — because they’re not there.

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
That’s a great question. Don’t quit your job. Seriously. I read this great article about a professor telling students that they should get corporate law jobs, run for office, work in business, and not become social workers and teachers because we need more mothers in high-powered, high-paying jobs. Part of what’s happening is that mothers get paid far less than men and therefore command less power. Like it or not, we live in a capitalist society, and dropping out means we are not playing the game. We need more women in positions of power to advocate from within. Otherwise, the change won’t come.

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Yael Yefet

Age 40
Brooklyn, NY by way of Netanya, Israel
Separated, with one daughter, Zohar, age 10, and one son, Ori, age 7. She works at Employees Only — a buzzy, sexy restaurant in NYC’s West Village.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
I work in hospitality and was furloughed from my job at the very beginning of the pandemic, so I wasn’t working per se but did take on the lion’s share of managing my kids’ homeschooling efforts. And honestly, having two kids home all the time means that the cooking, cleaning, and overall house management got kicked up to the nth degree!

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I work in the restaurant industry so was not able to do any work from home. I have to be physically present to do my job, so have been on unemployment for most of the past year.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?
Both kids went back full time in January. For the first part of the year, they were three days at home and two days at school.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
Yes. When the kids were with their father, I could take care of the things I needed to do. We have a good working relationship and help each other out by being flexible and supporting each other where possible. It takes two to tango — it would be pretty hard to do this parenting thing by yourself.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
Homeschooling dramatically changed my relationship with my children — and not for the better. I’m not sure that we are supposed to be our kid’s teachers; maybe some of us are, but not me. It was just too challenging to have the patience to do schoolwork with my kids, especially my young son. Ori didn’t have the patience to sit and do his tasks without it becoming a battle. We ended up arguing a lot, and it wasn’t a good situation for us. When they got back to school full-time, it was a blessing for us.

+      Has there been a best part?
Not having to rush —  or having to run out of the house in a flurry. It gave us a lot of quality time. I got to be the master of my own schedule, and that doesn’t happen often. We spent time doing things that the kids actually like doing, not things they have to do. It was nice seeing their thought process, even with homeschooling. I got to see how they think and implement the material they are learning. And we got very close. Instead of shuffling them from one place to another, I was able to spend that quality time with them.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
Good care. Good after-school programs. Good affordable quality care. Someone who would do art with the kids, help them with their homework, take them out to play soccer. Did I say affordable? It takes a village til the kids are quite old.

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
Stop trying to control things that you can’t control. Your relationship with your kids is more precious than your kids filling out a worksheet or picking items up around the house. It’s not worth losing your patience or temper; it doesn’t work for anyone — not you, not them.

Enjoy your children. It was nice just to enjoy my kids as they are, not just their accomplishments and what they do. I got to see that Zohar has an extensive bank of friends and admire her social skills; she’s friends with kids I didn’t know she was friends with. She finds beauty in many people — and a lot of people find beauty in her. It was beautiful to witness. Ori is a deep thinker, and I got to see that he thinks in 5 different directions simultaneously in practice.

One more thing: If you don’t have time for yourself, make time for yourself. No one is going to give it to you — you have to make it. Wake up an hour early so you can have your coffee/stretch.

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Tanya Veronica Renehan

Age 36
Brooklyn, NY by way of Melbourne, Australia
Separated with three sons, Elijah, 9; Sebastian, 7, Malakai, 3, she works as an executive assistant at a prominent dermatology practice on NYC’s tony Upper East Side.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
When the pandemic hit, I was furloughed because the dermatologist immediately shut the practice down. I had just moved into my new apartment at the end of February 2020 — just a couple weeks before the shutdown. I had been a victim of domestic violence and lived in a domestic violence shelter for women and children for 13 months prior. After an exhaustive search for a new home for me and my kids, I finally had found a home. ALL I did for over seven months was search daily for a new apartment that I could pay for with a special grant from the city for women in my situation. Finally, I started at the dermatology practice in late December 2019 and found an apartment through a different program, which took my new job into account.

My home was my holy grail — and I was so incredibly grateful that I had this apartment. When Covid first hit NYC, I thought it would blow over in a few weeks. But it’s still not done, and I am so forever thankful that my kids and I could ride the pandemic out in our new apartment.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I’ve been working as an executive assistant but was in television in Australia, working in the wardrobe department, and am looking to segue back into media again soon.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?
Yes, they are now in school learning in-person five days a week. They went back full-time, the two older ones, in the late fall. One of my boys has some learning challenges, and the school made special dispensations for children in his situation, and his brother got to tag along. I was very fortunate in that regard. My younger son is in daycare, which re-opened in autumn as well.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
When the pandemic began, I was furloughed. After a month or two passed, I started doing some work from home — but it was impossible. IMPOSSIBLE. I had two school-age boys home with different schedules and Zooms. A screaming toddler and just trying to keep the little one out of the way was its own job. You have to almost lock each kid in their own space in a two-bedroom apartment so they don’t fight or distract one another. I kept apologizing to my son’s teachers because I’d miss calls, confuse the schedule. I was still up late at night nursing and didn’t have a partner at home to help at all. And they were home all day, eating. The cooking and cleaning were nonstop. I couldn’t get on top of it all. But I tried. NYC living means no dishwasher or washing machine — so you can just imagine.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
For most of the pandemic, I got no help. My relationship with my children’s father is clearly complicated. Back then, I didn’t trust that his choices were not exposing him to Covid, and I couldn’t take that chance. Today, things have shifted a little, and he helps with logistical things, ferrying the kids to and from school when he can, but they never stay with him, so I have three boys. All the time. 24/7. It’s a LOT.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
Not getting a break. Feeling at times very burnt out and trying not to implode and lose my sh*t. Feeling the weight of responsibility constantly on me.

Also, my folks are in Melbourne, Australia, so I haven’t seen them now going on two years. I miss them a lot and want to see my gran while I still can.

+      Has there been a best part?
The timeline of when the pandemic transpired was at the start of my new life. I felt the year before that my life was on pause. There was a curfew at the shelter. Even though the pandemic, particularly the spring of 2020, was such a tough time, I was (and am) so incredibly thankful to have found a home just before the world shut down. The pandemic gave me the time to make a home. I ordered the things I needed and crafted a space for me and my boys to live in, which was all I had dreamt about for the 13 months I was living in the shelter — and I brought this vision to life during the shutdown.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
I think that the United States is terrible when it comes to maternity leave. And they don’t support breastfeeding here. In Australia, breastfeeding is encouraged, and many mothers breastfeed because there is support for it there. Whether you give birth in a public or private hospital, the aftercare the mother receives is the same from the government. You get a midwife that comes and does house visits for the first month. You get lactation support. And if it’s your first baby, you are automatically put into a mother’s group with other new moms in your neighborhood. You meet weekly with the mothers and the leader of the group. Many people become very close with the moms they encounter in their group, and it helps create community.

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
If you can, it’s essential to take some time for yourself. It can feel impossible sometimes, but I am a better mom when I can recoup and come back to my kids.

Also, when you are a mom like me, and you don’t have a lot of support, organization is your best friend. So prepare as much as you can the night before. I feel saner (and am my best self) when my home is organized — it helps me be a better mother.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or just need a little assistance, here are some resources that might help:

Mental Health Resources
Parents seeking emotional support can contact the National Parent Helpline at 855-427-2736.

If you are a recent mother looking for support, there are free online support groups offered by Postpartum Support International, with specific programs for Black moms, NICU parents, Spanish-speaking moms, queer parents, and more.

Legal Resources
The Center for WorkLife Law offers a free help line for parental legal rights. Call 415-851-3308 or email COVID19Helpline@worklifelaw.org.

The National Women’s Law Center provides complimentary consultations with attorneys in their legal network. Call 202-319-3053 or request assistance at their website.

A Better Balance, a nonprofit legal advocacy group, operates a confidential help line to assist callers with understanding their workplace rights. Call 833-633-3222.

Food & Housing Assistance
United Way operates a 24-hour help line that connects callers to local food programs, housing assistance, health care resources and mental health support. Dial 211 from your phone.

Mutual Aid Hub offers a nationwide listing of food pantries and community refrigerators and freezers.

About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable. 

Working moms in the United States have long felt that to get ahead, they had to hide the “mother” part of their lives from view, lest they be seen as undedicated to their career or somehow less suited to the job — which is how ERGs (or Employee Resource Groups) were born. An ERG is a voluntary employee group providing a unified voice and enhancing personal and professional development.

At Creative Circle, ERGs participate directly with our ongoing Diversity Equity & Inclusion initiatives and assist in fully integrating these themes into Creative Circle’s day-to-day business practices through events, strategic initiatives, and goals. ERGs also foster a safe space for those who self-identify to find guidance, encouragement, and support — and are also a place where allies of that group can show support.

Four mothers in our Parents & Caregivers ERG took some time out of their busy schedules to share what it has been like to balance work and motherhood during this ongoing pandemic — these are their stories.

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Kristen Rosselli

Age: 36
Charlotte, North Carolina
Married, with one son, Christopher, who just turned nine months. Kristen manages the Charlotte Creative Circle office.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
Pandemic motherhood is the only kind of motherhood I’ve known — my son was born August 6, 2020. Other moms had a “before” to compare to — not me. I nursed on conference calls, pumped during the day — and I feel fortunate to have been able to do that in this time.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I manage Creative Circle’s Charlotte office and interact with clients to get them enrolled. It’s essentially a sales and management role. The Charlotte office opened in 2017, and we moved down here to open the office. My husband moved to North Carolina because of my work.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
I was on maternity leave from August to November 2020. We had help; in the beginning, a babysitter came in when I first went back to work. Now my son is in daycare. But we had about a month there where we did not have any childcare because of Covid. Our babysitter ended up giving us Covid in January. All three of us got it. We were in a tailspin. We were fortunate that we didn’t get super sick.

Daycare in Charlotte is way overcrowded. You have 1.5 year-long waiting lists. We ultimately did get our son in daycare after the babysitter fiasco, but we both had to work full-time and take care of our son for a month. Looking back, I honestly don’t know how we did it.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
My husband is wonderful. He works in technology, meaning his job is 24/7, supporting a financial organization. The most challenging part is that if someone’s job has to take a hit, it’s often mine because I’m not supporting 7,000 people and their tech. But he helps with cleaning and cooking and is so hands-on with our son. But moms are the default parent; for instance, only one parent can go to a pediatrician appointment — and nursing is excellent for soothing after vaccines, so this has fallen to me.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
The lack of time for myself. I used to be able to give work an extra 30 minutes, but things have shifted — I can’t always do that anymore. And don’t want to. In the evening, I have two maybe two and a half hours with my son, which includes picking him up from daycare, bathing him, feeding him, which means very little quality time. To just get a workout in or read, I have had to rejigger my approach and accept that everything has changed.

+      Has there been a best part?
Pandemic motherhood has been all I’ve known, but silver linings abound. WFH allowed us to have the sitter for fewer hours, saving money and letting us both have more time with our son that we would not have otherwise gotten. I could not imagine bringing my son to daycare at 14 weeks; he couldn’t even sit up, so having someone trusted in my home allowed me to be with him, nurse him, and work — making my transition smoother than it might have otherwise been. Our plan initially had been for him to go straight to daycare after maternity leave.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
Longer maternity leave. I don’t think it will ever be easy to go back to work after having a child, but companies need to see that both parents must have time to be with their new child. Parental leave is critical. It’s harder for men because women are accustomed to taking maternity leave, but there can be a stigma attached to men taking paternity leave. If it were mandatory, I think it would be great. Even six mandatory weeks would be great.

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
Put yourself at the table. Don’t quiet yourself for someone else’s sake, and have one or two people who are your safe zones. People you can go to at any time of the day, someone who will have your back and won’t judge you. They will help get you through it all. And also, create a relationship with a trusted neighbor who can be a lifeline in case of an emergency.

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Ramona Estephan

Age: 38
Washington, D.C.
Married, with two kids — Zuri, age 3, and Lennox, four months old. Ramona is the Managing Director of the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia team for Creative Circle.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
It has been great! For the first two years of Zuri’s life, I worked long hours and missed a lot of her major milestones. Being home has been a blessing because I have spent more time with her, watched her learn and grow, ate meals with her, and more. In addition, I was pregnant with my son from the moment we went into quarantine, so it allowed me time to embrace my pregnancy. Creative Circle has been great at being flexible and allowing our kids to sit in on meetings and understand that there may be times we have to step away or may be distracted.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I am the Managing Director of the D.C., MD, VA team at Creative Circle. I assist my team and set operational best practices to reach sales goals and recruiting top talent for our clients.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?
My daughter starts school for the first time in June.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
Thankfully, I have gotten work done. Both my husband and I worked from home, and we have a nanny who was able to come to the house to help part-time during the first nine months of the pandemic. However, we often had to trade off hours or have Zuri join our meetings when childcare wasn’t available.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
Yes, my husband has been an enormous help, and luckily, we have a nanny to help as well.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
Having to keep a 2-year-old away from other kids and family, finding ways to keep her busy without using a screen all day, and learning to have more patience during difficult times. Dealing with a growing toddler has probably been the most challenging thing about mothering.

When it comes to working, trying to stay positive for my team when things were clearly not going well, and we were being pulled in many different directions as we worked to figure things out as a company.

+      Has there been a best part?
Spending more time with my husband and daughter — and giving birth to my son. For work, the best part has been seeing different people’s faces throughout the company more often than ever before (hello Zoom)!

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
Such a tough question because working moms need SO much! Having a safe, no-judgment outlet to vent or talk about issues they are facing is critical. We need more flexibility and understanding from management, with space to take time to do something for our children when necessary. Childcare assistance would be ideal as well!

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
You are not alone. And it is okay to feel overwhelmed, lose your patience, and feel like you can’t do it all. Just take a deep breath and don’t be afraid or feel bad asking for help!

 

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Kristi Seifert

Age: 39
Kenmore, WA
Married, with one son, Leo, age 6. Kristi is the Senior Recruitment Manager for Creative Circle’s Seattle office.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
It’s been tough, but I know we’ve been fortunate to have the luxury of being safe at home.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I’m a Senior Recruitment Manager for Creative Circle Seattle, which means that I manage a team of recruiters and am also hands-on as a recruiter.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?
Yes, our son went back to school in October 2020. It was a bit nerve-wracking at the beginning, but his school has so many safety protocols in place. It’s been so incredible to see him thrive — despite social distancing and mask-wearing.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
When faced with challenges, my husband and I find comfort in routines and organization. Before our son went back to school, every morning, I updated an Excel spreadsheet with our schedule for the day — a different column for each of us. It allowed us to split our time between working and remote learning and made the situation more manageable.

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
Oh, yes. My husband and I did a lot of dividing and conquering. He handled the majority of the remote learning and we took turns working throughout the day.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
The hardest part has been combining the two in the same space — both physical and mental space (and time) during the day. In normal times, our son knows that we work, but he’s never had a front-row seat. It was difficult to repeatedly say, “no, I need to do this for work first” or “you need to wait until I’m off this call.” Of course, part of being a kid is hearing “no” and having to wait your turn, but I hated sending him the message that he came second to work.

+      Has there been a best part?
Absolutely! Since the day I went back to work after maternity leave, I’ve wished for more time together. A global pandemic wasn’t on the wish list, but I’m so grateful for the extra time and memories.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
There are so many parental leave policies that should be better (or exist at all), but I also think it starts with a realistic view of what it is actually like to be a working mom. I feel like no one talks about it. It’s hard; you feel guilty if you enjoy the break, you feel sad when you miss your child, it is difficult to compare yourself to your former pre-kid self. There are so many emotions that you feel and everyone experiences things differently — and all version are okay!

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
Your life with a child is going to be different and wonderful in a way it wasn’t before — remember to celebrate that because it goes so quickly (I know everyone says that!). BUT, your life will also be different and harder in a way it wasn’t before; it’s okay to talk about that and feel it. It doesn’t make you a bad mother or a weak person. And in those moments when you feel like you’re falling down on both jobs (mother and employee), your child still thinks you are the greatest person who has ever lived.

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Renae Virata Meyer

Age: 40
Dallas, Texas
Married, with one son, who is almost four years old. Renae is a Senior Account Executive and was the first one to have a baby in that office.

+      What has been your experience as a working mom during the pandemic?
Finding balance has been essential to meeting the needs of my family, my job, and me! My husband and I both work, and we’re fortunate to have help who’s like family. We’re both focused on ensuring we’re there for each other, have time for ourselves, and dedicate time to our son when we are with him. We don’t want to miss these precious growing years with him. It’s been an exercise in precision time management.

+      What kind of work do you do? Where do you work?
I’m a Senior Account Executive. I’ve been with Creative Circle for four years and am grateful to be at a point where I’m more tenured. I’ve built solid client relationships and work with a great market and regional team to get and lend support. Also, because I work in my own home office, it’s been easy to have my own space to work and think.

+      Have your kids gone back to school?
Yes, my son goes three days a week to his German language school.

+      How have you gotten work done with the kid/s home?
We have a sitter who takes our son to school, brings him home, and takes care of him on days off from school. It helps us get a lot done. Before, I used to work at night, but with our new schedule, I feel confident and happy to shut off my computer at 6 pm when my son comes home to give 100% of my attention to him.

When he is at home, though, it’s a delicate balance. I’ve had more than my share of interruptions this past year, but clients and CC colleagues have been super understanding!

+      Have you gotten any help from a partner?
My husband is a-maz-ing! He fully supports and is interested in my career at Creative Circle and sees my work as demanding and important as his. It took some time to create a balance because I was just doing more, worrying more, etc. We’re continually refining our schedules and responsibilities and aim to give each other flexibility. Overall, it’s been pretty solid.

+      What has been the most difficult thing about mothering and working and existing this past year?
Anxiety! I’ve had the worst case in my life this past year. It’s hard because as someone that wants to show up and be good at everything, it’s just not possible. I put 150% pressure on myself and feel guilty in any given area of my life, but I’ve realized that it’s okay. I’m one person, and I do the best I can. The key is to recognize that and ASK FOR HELP. Without therapy, talking with my managers, husband, friends — I couldn’t get through it.

+      Has there been a best part?
I had a tough time mid-last year with all the pressures of AE life, having a toddler son whose demands were (lovingly) growing every day, making sure my husband and I had time together, connecting with girlfriends, taking care of myself, all while in the midst of the pandemic. But with the support of my team, especially my manager and VP, I came out the other end with a renewed sense of purpose and a solid plan that has helped me thrive at work.

My husband and I talk daily, and I’ve committed to stay in touch with my girlfriends and be honest about life when we need to chat. All in all, I feel more present and better understand that life is about progress — not perfection.

+      What would help working mothers in this country?
Working moms need more flexibility in the workplace and recognition of the unique hardships that befall us. More resources to help with the mental and emotional transitions would also be huge.

+      What advice would you share with other moms and mother figures?
Be nice to yourself. Get help when you need it. Don’t feel shame for having an episode now and then; you’re human. Know you’re not alone. And don’t forget to schedule time for yourself!

About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.