After our episode, Elena reached out with some excellent tips on being more present with your family that I wanted to share with you. With 15 years of experience in the position and three kids ages 15, 12, and 2, she has a lot of wisdom to share! After implementing the following four tips, Elena said she feels more productive at work because she’s more rested, less distracted, and experiencing far less “mom guilt.”
Even if you aren’t a parent, these are great lessons on how we can be proactive in taking care of ourselves and our mental well-being, which will also help us be successful as OSCs.
Here are Elena’s recommendations for improving the balance between your career and your family.
1. Ask for help.If you're overwhelmed or want to enjoy uninterrupted time with your kids, don't be afraid to ask your backup/teammate to cover for you (and then return the favor).
2. Take advantage of anything that makes your life easier. I'm all about grocery delivery and meal kit services! Also, don't feel guilty about having someone clean your house or hiring a babysitter (even on your days off) so you can have 'me' time.
3. Assess situations and act accordingly. Sometimes I get phone calls when I'm changing a dirty diaper, dealing with a screaming child, or having a rough conversation with my teenager. While you don't want to miss a call, if you can't sound professional or have a productive conversation with a customer, send an automatic text that says who you are and that you'll call them right back. I usually get a reply that says, 'great, thank you!' This relieves me of so much stress while I wrap up whatever situation I'm dealing with.
4. Speak up to management if something isn't working. Up until the beginning of 2021, Chelsie and I were responsible for responding to leads and answering calls from 8 am to 8 pm. I don't know about you, but from the hours of 7 pm - 8 pm, I'm helping at least 1 kid with homework, getting a baby ready for bed, and winding down to prepare for the next day. When our lead volume was at its highest, it was so difficult to do any of these tasks, which caused a lot of stress and mom guilt. I asked our amazing boss if we could stop taking leads and calls at 7 pm and she said yes! Work and life feel so much more balanced since we made this change.
I love this advice from Elena, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to assess your own situation and the steps you can take to stay healthy and happy in all your different roles in life.
On a recent episode of Online People Talking (OPT), I had a great conversation with Elena Mora and Chelsie Glidden with Ideal Homes. We touched on how to manage work-life balance in the role of an online sales specialist. 
