Motherhood is so many things and then some. As time passes and the world changes, mothers are evolving and even taking in more responsibilities, juggling home life and work life.
Anecdotes and data show how working mothers and mothers on social media are navigating a fast-paced, digitally connected world.
Career mamas
For a design company executive and a new mom, it’s all about establishing boundaries.
“Set up a workstation at home. A place where you can focus and send a signal to other people that you are working. Ideally, create a separate workspace from your place of rest,” says Yani Hornilla-Donato, country manager of Canva Philippines.
Hornilla-Donato maintains a schedule during her work days, starting early so “I can finish by 4 in the afternoon”.
“Five o’clock and beyond is dedicated for my family, especially my new baby. I want to be present, take care of her, and witness her milestones. And definitely no work on weekends! Except for emergencies,” she shares.
Speaking of spending time with family, she highlights her employer’s “generous leave package” that allows employees to take a time off. “We also try to extend flexibility wherever possible, especially for moms who need to adjust their schedules at home,” adds Hornilla-Donato.
Attaining that elusive work-life balance is made possible with the help of a truly supportive team, as mom and creative lead Christine Reyes discovered when she was having a hard time juggling motherhood and her job.
“It took a while for me to completely let go of the habit of checking my work email and Slack beyond 4:00 p.m., but I’ve learnt to be successful in that aspect. My leads always assure me that nothing will break even if I don’t answer everything after 4:00 p.m.,” shares Reyes.
Employees at Canva say teams check on each other, have regular social calls, and are quick to pick up another person’s load if they need support.
Copy lead for the firm’s Template Design Team, Chrissie Peria relates, “Everyone is so understanding – children barging in on calls are greeted with smiles and small talk, dogs and cats get paraded on screen, and crowing roosters in the background are brushed off with giggles and no judgement.”
These career mamas also nurture the family they built in the workplace. According to the company, pre-pandemic Canva used to have Family Days, as well as events during special occasions where employees would bring their kids along to the office to play.
“With our new working arrangements, our celebrations have shifted online. And while we’re not together physically, they’re just as heartwarming. I’m lucky enough to be surrounded and supported by these wonderfully good people,” enthuses Peria.
Moms on social media
Here in the Philippines, moms on social networking platform Twitter are mostly (58 percent) full-time working moms, according to Twitter’s latest record. But despite their tight schedule, majority or 69 percent manage to use the platform daily “for learning and self-improvement”.
Moms are using available resources online to learn and stay updated. The survey found that they go to Twitter to find new and useful information, research on how to do things, and be updated with news and events from credible sources.
Moms (79 percent) also use it to research on a product before making a purchase, while also actively sharing their reviews to help other moms, highlighting the importance of educating and engaging with mothers on the site.
“Connecting to active mom audiences on Twitter might not be enough. Brands must also create a space for moms on Twitter to help them embrace, nurture, and celebrate their real and unfiltered lives,” the company said in a statement.
Aside from learning, mothers use social media to seek support and share how they feel. With 58 percent of Twitter user mothers being millennials (some are first-time moms), many are seeking insights on the site, may it be a practical advice or comforting words.
Conversation among mothers on the platform also varies. Topping the list of top conversation categories is film and TV, followed by health and wellness, music, food and beverages, and finance.
Another interesting finding is that moms live freely on this social media platform.
“Moms come to Twitter for real and unfiltered conversations. They are not afraid to speak their mind about the joys and harsh truths of parenting such as the struggles of working moms and pregnancy, among others.”
