Meet Vandana Singh Who Aced Both Work From Home And Mums Without Babysitters
I must congratulate SHEROES to begin with, for their wonderful vision, and contribution towards “Inclusion and Diversity”. The hashtag #Mumswithoutbabysitters so resonated with me, that I wanted to to share my story too.
I’ve clocked over 15 years of work experience, and have successfully worked from home for more than five years now. The need to #WFH arose in 2011, when I had to take a call, whether to continue working or quit. I have two lovely daughters, my elder one has special needs, and my younger one was two years old at that time. While I was going through this inner turmoil, and driving back home, I saw a Nokia hoarding, which read: “Success does not require a desk”. That caught my attention.
Who says necessity is the mother of invention? Desperate moms are the mothers of invention!
I approached our HR to request for #Flexioption, and it was approved after we sorted business justifications. It was also possible as had I worked for the same organization [IGATE, IMS-D (BU)] for over 10 years, and the fact that my role could be managed remotely. I could plan client visits for audit/ training as needed, and technology was a great enabler to help me stay connected, always. The passion for work, and one’s accountability has to be authentic. “A constraint is an opportunity for creativity. The result is called innovation.”
My Belief : Keep upgrading skills, continued learning boosts self confidence.
We need to constantly work towards the goal, that we have identified for ourselves. I invested in a good laptop, a three-in-one printer, a whiteboard, office stationery, a work table, a comfy chair and I was good to go from my #WFH office. Believe me, it is a one time investment and is worth it if you seriously consider a work from home option. You feel second to none, and having a dedicated workspace gives you a professional aura.
For an onlooker it may have seemed that I was playing dumb charades with my daughter. However, I was on a mission to persuade my kiddo go to her room and let me finish my call. I always kept a few placards handy, and I used them according to the situation. They read : ‘Give me 10 minutes’, an all time favorite even if I always exceeded the limit, and ‘’will tell you a bedtime story, please have some mercy and leave’. Nevertheless my kids always had that ‘triumphant’ smile on their faces.
Now that both of them have been groomed to understand, that if I am on a call or doing an important work, they have to wait for me to finish. They respect my work. I was able to manage this with little adjustments here and there, with the help of my husband who is a savior when I had to go for meetings, client visits and onsite trainings. Our weekdays are quite disciplined with a fixed routine, and our weekends are great fun, we have quality time together.
It was necessary for me to be a hands-on-mom and equally important not to let go off my work, which is my passion and my identity. I had all the help and support I needed to play both roles to my satisfaction.
There have been rough times too, but I always refer to the quote: “Sometimes being Strong is the only Choice you have,” that helped me sail through. I still struggle sometimes, but I enjoy the challenge, as they trials and tribulations help me emerge Stronger and I am a Proud Mom that lives and breathes this hashtag #Mumswithoutbabysitters
About the author: Vandana Singh is a L&D | OD | Quality Professional | A Social Media Enthusiast, with over 15 years of work experience. She works as a consultant, is an active member of L&D | HR Community. Is preparing for the next flight, while working on her personal blog.
Do you have a #mumswithoutbabysitters story? Share it with us in a short post. Mail it to Avani@sheroes.in; Share your pics, videos, and stories with the hashtag #mumswithoutbabysitters and we will send a copy of Babies and Bylines to the most popular stories.
