Comments on: A (too long) day in the life https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/ Writer, Author, Speaker Tue, 03 Oct 2023 16:42:55 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Cara https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-481544 Tue, 03 Oct 2023 16:42:55 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-481544 It is really amazing that you were able to get any work done at all and really to your credit that you at 11 p.m. still have that much drive and determination!! You are amazing! That is pretty amazing to have that kind of energy and drive for that at that hour! I also think that it shows that even if you only have55 minutes at nearly 11 p..m. and that initial 40 mins early a.m. you can still get a lot done especially if you stick to what actually needs to get done or you really want to get done professionally or for making a living. I think this is why it is so important to offer working women childcare in some form.. An after school program say that occupies a child well say till 430 vs. 330 or say 7-9 or 530-730 can provide a working mother with a much-needed and possibly in an hour or less enough time say to really work and make progress on important personal-professional goals or at least flexibly make a living. It also shows how much work time is wasted by other people and orgs not dealing with the constraints you are and getting less done… and focusing on as you mentioned here and have written about before this vs. actually task-based work.. what is getting done not where did it get done or how many hours did it take
However, Laura Vanderkam, author of “I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time,” noted that there are more jobs that could be remote than people actually working remotely. The data from Coworking Cafe corroborates this, with remote-eligible jobs for Washington and Arlington four times as high as the share of remote workers.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-cities-working-parents_l_6504983de4b07d9e8b560b13?utm_source=Just+A+Minute+Newsletter&utm_campaign=969f778354-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_June2021_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ec8af55665-969f778354-193027813
Also as a society our men do need to own their choices… They make children too and they need to also bear equally the workload. I see that a lot of upper middle class women are essentially single parents while say their spouse travels for his career. This is maybe necessary for earning but it is a problem also we should not be afraid to talk about. If men in the U.S. needed the childcare the way women do and their labor were presumed in so many default settings unpaid or at least at some great personal and probably GDP or other opportunity costs, maybe we would have it better funded the childcare and better supported our careers-self-actualization.

]]> By: Laura Vanderkam https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480377 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:10:09 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480377 In reply to omdg.

@omdg – we made it to 2 of 5 back to school nights – so not perfect attendance over here by any means!

]]> By: Laura Vanderkam https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480375 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:09:23 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480375 In reply to Melissa.

@Melissa – somewhat calmed down but still a lot going on…hope your week calmed down too!

]]> By: Melissa https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480344 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:55:29 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480344 Wow! As I read this, I am really struck by how similar your Tuesday was to my Wednesday this week. I will spare all the gory details, but it also involved a traveling husband, sick child (swimmers’ ear, not too tragic but resulted in a doctor’s visit, missing swim practice and some overall changes in plans), many (MANY!) kid drop-offs and pick-ups, and trying to sneak in work on the margins. I only have 3 kids to your 5, but I also have two large one-year-old dogs who sometimes make it FEEL like I have 5 children! It’s nice to know I’m not alone. I hope things calmed down for you as the week went on.

]]> By: omdg https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480306 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:24:46 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480306 We skipped back to school night this year because it always feels like a performative waste of time and I have a grant due. But yes, basically my entire last month has been like this. I’m on call all night tonight and looking forward to the break.

]]> By: Laura Vanderkam https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480274 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 12:03:40 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480274 In reply to Coree.

@Coree – a 5 a.m. bus! Yikes.

]]> By: Laura Vanderkam https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480273 Thu, 28 Sep 2023 12:03:21 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480273 In reply to Cindy.

@Cindy- good luck getting through it! Coming back after vacation is always tough.

]]> By: Cindy https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480116 Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:16:03 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480116 Wow – kudos for getting through that. Today is my first day back to work after 7 work days of vacation and I’m exhausted! Also, not done yet.

]]> By: Coree https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/09/a-too-long-day-in-the-life/#comment-480067 Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:59:09 +0000 https://lauravanderkam.com/?p=19295#comment-480067 Oof, what a day for you!

I stayed over in work city last night as I had meetings yesterday afternoon and 9am teaching today, which requires a 5am bus…

I thought I’d escape early but ended up in a really lovely productive meeting with a colleague who I think is also going to be my new work friend. I didn’t manage to get a train til 5:30 and got on and realised I hadn’t had lunch/no snacks in my bag. Sadly no cafe car, so I think it might be a takeaway at the train station night 🙂

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