As the world transitions to #workfromhome, freelance recruiters and those working in distributed teams, like us, hardly notice any drastic changes.

We're used to work from home or anywhere with Wi-Fi and a comfy chair :)

However, sometimes the task becomes a bit more challenging, like when working with kids. And here, too, we strive to find a balance. At some point, we came up with the idea of sharing our secrets to productive work with children. Said – done! In this article, we'll share the experiences of our team and our friends.

1. "Restructured the operational structure so that everyone on the team had "their own place."

Lena Volk is the founder and visionary leader of the EvoTalents team. EvoTalents is a remote-distributed IT recruitment agency. In her free time, Lena manages to write about sourcing and teamwork and teach at the Ukrainian Sourcing School. Her daughter, Sofia, is one year and two months old.

Do you remember the period when you went on maternity leave? What decisions did you make to ensure the company could function without you for a while? And do you consider those decisions to be correct now?

Even at the beginning of building the company, I thought about the possibility of having a child someday and initially structured the processes in such a way that the team could work in the future without me. At that time, it manifested in important qualities of team members like self-organization and responsibility.

When I found out I was pregnant, I was considering two possible scenarios:

1. Look for a CEO to replace me.
2. Restructure the company so that key individuals would take on more responsibilities.

I saw many drawbacks in the first scenario, such as:

• The new CEO would have their own management style, and it wasn't guaranteed they would fit in with the team that was used to me. Ultimately, there was a risk of losing people, which I didn't want.
• At that time, I wanted to return to work relatively quickly and didn't understand how to distribute our tasks.
• I simply didn't have a right person in mind whom I was ready to entrust with the company.

As a result, I chose the second option - restructuring, and I justified it by saying that we were growing. On my 6 month I informed the team about my situation during our joint trip to Italy. At that point, they could already see that many tasks were being handled without my direct involvement, and they reacted very positively to the news.

Looking back now and analyzing all the decisions, I can say that:

• It's impossible to predict everything :) Human factors come into play, and not everyone is equally comfortable with new tasks or responsibilities that need to be picked up.
• It's natural to make changes along the way, and since then, we've made many internal changes.
• Promoting internal employees to new positions was the right decision. I can see how much each team member has grown professionally, and it's very inspiring for me!
• I realized that after a year, I wasn't ready to return to operational activities as I had initially planned. So, we've once again restructured the organization, and I'm very satisfied with the current structure. It feels like everyone is in their right place and fully realizes their potential.

What does your typical workday look like now?

I work without a nanny, so work happens during my child's sleep: approximately 2 hours during the daytime nap and around 1 hour in the evening. I also participate in team meetings or take work calls during our morning walk.

The rest of the time, I try to put my phone aside and be with my daughter. Occasionally, I might respond to someone or send a voice message if I see that Sofia's playing independently.

What are the main challenges you've encountered while working with a child?

The main challenge for me was constantly adapting to my child's schedule, which often changed as she grew: new activities emerged, and the amount of sleep decreased.

So, the most challenging part was planning work calls. I often had to reschedule them for later in the day or another day.

What advice can you give to working moms to organize work at home?

If you want to work effectively, it's better to find a nanny right away :)

Or come to terms with the fact that many tasks will take longer than usual, and you'll respond to people with delays, spending evenings on work tasks.

What helps me in my work:

• I write all tasks in my phone's notes (I have a list of urgent tasks and less urgent ones). In these lists, I include all the details. This way, I don't need to 'get into the work mode.' As soon as my child falls asleep, I open the list of urgent tasks and start working on one of them.
• I've moved all my work to my phone (I create presentations for webinars, work on financial spreadsheets, and much more on it).
• Voice messages are a lifesaver when I have little time but need to convey a lot of information.
• And one of my recent discoveries: scheduled messages. Since I work in the evenings, I started using them in Slack and Telegram so that messages are sent in the morning of the next day instead of at night.

Where do you find the energy to maintain a balance between work and your child?

The most important thing is allowing yourself to rest. I struggled with this for a long time :)

Now, once a week, I can take a nap with Sofia instead of doing something 'useful.'

Plus, sometimes I let my husband take our child for an evening walk alone, and I just spend some time with myself: a hot bath, reading a book, or just lying in bed.

And sports, of course, recharge me a lot! Lately, I've started running again, and it really puts me in a resourceful mode.

2. "With a child, you work less but more effectively."

Taisia Mlyuzan is the head of CNA International IT, specializing in recruitment rare IT specialists, and a mother of two children: Lev (2 years and 10 months old) and Diana (8 months old).

Can you recall the period when you first went on maternity leave? What decisions did you make to ensure the company could function without you for a while? And do you consider those decisions to be correct now?

During my first pregnancy, the 'core' that I thought was established began to crumble before my eyes. By the time I was six months pregnant, my husband and I made the decision for him to leave his job and take over operations in a new recruiting business during my absence. Without this decision, either the clients would have suffered, or I wouldn't have been able to be partially available.

Now, I believe that, in terms of our family's income, it was worth 'freezing' the company. In terms of the company, the decision was the right one.

What does your typical workday look like now?

During the pandemic and before moving to a house, it was super challenging: I worked from 11 AM to 1 PM and at night. The rest of the time, I had my hands full with the kids, and it wasn't work; it was reactive. After moving to the house and having a nanny return, I got back into a healthier routine. I work from Monday to Thursday, taking breaks to feed the children and put them down for naps.

You mentioned that your second experience of combining children and work is different from the first because of having a nanny. Can you tell us about both experiences and the differences?

My apologies for the confusion :) A nanny started working four days a week when my first child was 8 months old. With her, it's absolutely possible to manage everything. When you have a child, you work less but more effectively. When you have a nanny following such a routine, you become a superhero.

Without a nanny, honestly, working and taking on commitments and risks without a cohesive team and processes is impossible. Something somewhere will definitely suffer, most likely the mother's health. I believe that during maternity leave, there should be the opportunity to engage in one's passion without strict deadlines, set call dates, and the like. At least while the child is breastfeeding. Any rescheduling, the inability to meet or talk to a client in dire need – it was allowed and happened without me, but it put me under stress, and it was only with my second child that I learned to maintain balance and equilibrium.

What advice can you give to working moms to organize work at home?

It depends on the child's age and temperament. When you are a leader, have no nannies, and have a young child, it's essential to communicate with your team using your voice more often. Use less text when it's urgent. Record voice messages whenever there's a moment of silence, and don't let things flow because you're occupied with childcare issues, such as when your child is sick or something unpredictable happens.

Ask your team not to treat you condescendingly and not to justify themselves with personal circumstances: either work or don't work. The intermediate state cost me significant losses, and I'm not an example to follow in this regard. I also advise not to plan anything important at a specific time. Add a plus or minus 30 minutes. I learned not to be late and plan everything precisely, but it came at the cost of traffic violations, high speeds, constant rushing, and emergency mental states.

What helps you stay resourceful despite having a child and work?

With my first child, I wasn't resourceful. With the second one, I am, probably not 'despite' but 'thanks to' the child :)

• I started enjoying and trusting the team more.
• Switching and lots of love.
• Having a nanny.
• My husband. Big goals and interests.

3. "Candidates responded positively to my emails after 9:00 PM."

Dasha Nazarenko has been a recruiter in EvoTalents for 3 years now, and she joined the team when her son was just 5 months old.

We know that you started working at EvoTalents when your son was 5 months old, and you didn't have a nanny. What did your workday look like at that time?

I remember this period incredibly warmly and vividly :) I felt like I had a superpower, and I could do it all :)

When my son was 5 months old, I returned to work part-time, and my schedule was very flexible. I worked during the times when my son slept: 2 (1+1) hours during the day. When he went to bed for the night, I sat down with my laptop. My team often asks me how candidates reacted when I emailed them after 9:00 PM, and my answer is - wonderfully. The response rate was high, and with some candidates, we even had voice calls to discuss all the details of the job. I managed to fill positions while spending time with my son. I often asked myself, 'Could I have dreamed of this when I went on maternity leave?' Of course not. I'm incredibly glad it all worked out.

How did your schedule change with the arrival of a nanny?

A nanny joined our family when my son was a year old, and it was the right decision because I didn't want my child to see me constantly with a laptop and phone. With the nanny's arrival, I was able to work from my favorite coworking space, Coworking 365, and have my own personal space. It also allowed me to spend quality time with my son and begin to separate the roles of being a mother and a recruiter.

What were the main challenges you faced in working with your child?

I think the entire period was a constant challenge. It goes without saying that working nights while breastfeeding my son every 40 minutes, going to bed late, but waking up always well-rested and full of energy, was quite a challenge. Finding a nanny was also a unique challenge. It's not easy to entrust your child to a stranger. Our family was lucky on the second try. When the nanny arrived, I initially worked from home, and whenever my son heard my voice, he quickly ran to me and often appeared in team meetings :)

What advice can you give to working moms to organize work at home?

For me, it was essential to schedule all meetings during my child's nap time and have my own workspace. Everything else wasn't as crucial because I had the opportunity to do what I love and always be there for my son.

Where do you find the energy to stay in balance between work and your child?

I love reading books; it's my escape. It's a chance to be in silence with myself and immerse myself in the story. I don't have a specific hobby; I always enjoy trying something new: creating mosaic crafts, dancing, planting roses in the yard, and, of course, spending time with family and friends. All of this helps me quickly recharge and approach work with renewed energy.

4. ''Don't stay in a groundhog day – go outside and switch between tasks.''

Aniuta Kozakova – co-founder at Achievement House, HRM consultant, business trainer, IT recruitment expert. Co-founder of the HR PRO conference. Her daughter, Amelia, is 1 year and 10 months old."

What were the main challenges you faced when working with your child?

I completed my work two weeks before giving birth. During the last 8-9 months of pregnancy, I felt great and worked an average of 5 hours a day, which suited me perfectly.

After the birth of Amelia, I didn't work for about 5 months. However, since my spouse is also an HRM expert, we constantly discussed work at home and during walks. So, my brain didn't completely disconnect from the work environment, even though I wasn't working directly.

Nevertheless, during the first 5 months, I managed to complete several training projects. When Amelia was 2 months old, I conducted several workshops and even a full-day corporate training. An interesting moment was that my child was breastfeeding, so to conduct training, I had to go with my mom. We were given a separate room where my mom played with Amelia, and I could feed her during breaks every one and a half hours.

There was a funny incident when I was conducting a two-hour webinar and felt that I missed my child very much and needed to rush to her. In the end, I asked the audience to answer their questions in writing, and people responded to my request with understanding.

I also conducted several training sessions with my spouse taking care of Amelia. For him, it was quite a challenge as the baby was constantly crying, but we managed, and I am very grateful to him for his support. :)

I even conducted one workshop in Kyiv when Amelia was about 3 months old. We got in the car and went, despite having a baby. While I was conducting the training, my spouse took care of Amelia, feeding and entertaining her. It was very important for me to feel "in the flow" and to experience professional recognition, not just be a mother.

Life hack: Even when you have a baby, it's important to leave the house, for example, to go to a coffee shop. This is necessary to clear your thoughts, switch gears, check social media, discuss professional topics, and not get stuck in motherhood and the Groundhog Day, which can be difficult to break free from.

What does your typical workday look like?

I returned to work after 6 months of maternity leave. My mother became the nanny, and we pay her a salary because it's her work and time. I like that my mother and I share similar views on parenting; we read the same parenting books, and we don't have any conflicts.

I started working from home and tried to schedule my working hours so that during this time, Amelia would be napping outdoors. When my mom took Amelia outside, I actively worked for 4 hours a day. It may not be much, but it was enough to complete my projects.

For a while, I even managed to handle four parallel projects, where my task was to establish HR and recruiting processes within a company. To juggle everything, I allocated projects by hours and priorities and held weekly meetings with the company's representatives—usually recruiters or department leads. We synchronized tasks so that I could prepare reviews and process audits, while the client's team could implement tasks.

I also try to periodically visit the client's office because it's important for me to maintain a personal connection and have face-to-face interactions.

Over time, the number of working hours increased to 5-6 hours a day. I try not to exceed this amount to maintain a balance between work and family life. Of course, there are critical moments, such as during the preparation for the HR PRO conference, when I had to work for 6-7 hours, but that's more of an exception.

Now, after the end of the quarantine, I have returned to work at UNIT.City in Kharkiv. I really wanted to work in this place because it's an innovation park with a special community and a spirit of innovation. After work, I come home and immediately go for a walk with my child, and then we wait for my husband and go for a walk together with our dog.

You mentioned that you have rules in place to set boundaries to avoid distractions during work. Can you tell us more about them?

When we were working from home during the quarantine, my mom and Amelia were also at home. I noticed that I was getting distracted, and Amelia could come into my room. So, I talked to my mom and my daughter and explained why it's important not to distract me.

I asked my mom to try to engage Amelia with games and educational activities and to take her for walks more often so that she wouldn't feel the need to come to me.

I explained to Amelia that mommy is working and earning money. I showed her examples of what we buy and how she benefits from it, so she understands the value of my work.

During work, I take a break every one and a half to two hours and spend 15-20 minutes with my child, either feeding her or just hugging her. This helps us stay connected, and Amelia doesn't get bored.

What advice can you give to working moms to organize their work at home?

Advice #1: Plan your workday during your child's nap times so that you can work peacefully and complete your tasks during that time.

Advice #2: If you have a nanny, ask her to take the child for walks during your working hours and actively engage the child in crafts, games, and other activities to keep the child involved and not thinking about mommy.

Another point: it's important for a working mom not to be fixated on work and income. If this becomes an issue, an internal conflict can arise, and the child may feel like a hindrance to the mother.

To avoid this, set a clear number of hours that you can work without harming your child or yourself. For example, I initially worked for 4 hours, and during that time, I focused solely on work without distractions from messaging apps or other interruptions.

To immerse myself in work as efficiently as possible, I created a ritual for myself – coffee and a dessert before starting work. After this "recharge," I dive into my tasks as quickly as possible and avoid distractions.

Advice #3: Planning your work the evening before helps organize your workday. This way, I don't waste daytime hours on task planning and can get to work right away.

Weekly planning also helps, and I start it on Fridays. I plan in broad strokes, dividing tasks by days and assessing my workload for the upcoming week.

What helps you stay resourceful despite having a child and work?

My state of resourcefulness is the time when I can be with myself, despite being an extrovert and a very social person. After the birth of Amelia, I developed a desire to spend time alone with my thoughts, to analyze myself and my feelings. I started seeing a psychologist to understand my inner state. This helped me change my behavior patterns in relationships with my mom, spouse, and daughter.

For me, being resourceful means having a cup of coffee with dessert at a café alone with my thoughts or spending time in nature. For example, when I go on a camping trip, I like to wake up at dawn and do some exercises while everyone is still asleep, surrounded by the sounds of nature and complete silence. Then I sit on a mat, walk barefoot on the dew-covered grass – it's very fulfilling. Reading books also replenishes me :)

In conclusion, my advice is: If you have a strong desire to work, go for it. But allocate time for your child and spouse. When it comes to priorities, you should be at the top of the list. If you are fulfilled from within, you can give a lot to your child. Second in line should be your spouse. Spend quality time together: go out for dinner, watch a movie, take a leisurely stroll. Your spouse also needs time with you, just like before. And third on the list is your child because when a mother is fulfilled and has a good relationship with the father, the child is happy too.