Episode Details

With work in the entertainment industry slowly beginning to trickle in and productions ramping up over the coming weeks and months, you’d think we could all just “go back to normal,” right?

WRONG.

The new version of post-pandemic work is going to be anything but normal (and frankly Normal. Wasn’t. Working), and for one very specific group, this is uncharted (and terrifying) territory: Parents.

In the latest ‘Optimizer’ community Q&A, our community welcomes four hardworking moms in various stages of their careers in the entertainment industry. Editor Yvette Amirian (ACE), Editor Natalie Boschan, Editor/AE Monica Daniel, and Assistant Editor Bari Winter have all been simultaneously juggling busy careers while also doing their best to raise children during a global pandemic.

We talk about how we can balance the vast needs of Hollywood production while still doing our best to be present parents. We discuss tips and strategies for handling this delicate balancing act. My guests also share their fears and hopes about navigating pre-pandemic expectations in a post-pandemic working world.

In this very candid conversation, we cover many topics including:

• How can we balance the vast needs of Hollywood production and post-production when we’re still homeschooling our kids, daycare isn’t open, or we can’t afford a nanny anymore?
• Will working from home mean that we NEVER get any time away from the office to be a parent because of endless emails and texts where people need things 24/7?
• Will people be less likely to hire me again if I’m a parent working from home?

Whether you are a parent or not, this conversation will address the issues of managing and sustaining

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Here’s What You’ll Learn:

• “Real-life” insight into balancing parenting and work obligations when it feels impossible
• How to tackle the question of getting a nanny during a pandemic and the importance of separating work and child care duties when working from home
• The best ways to make sure your kids are actively engaged in learning while you work from home (so that they don’t get left behind academically)
• How to keep yourself healthy and avoid burnout from trying to be “supermom” (or dad)
• Why normal wasn’t working for parents and how we will literally kill ourselves if we try to resume the status quo
• The real reasons moms tend to put themselves last and feel obligated to take care of everyone else first
• What the “theatre of work” is and how we need to teach producers to let us manage our own time
• How to set boundaries when working from home by communicating clearly and confidently
• Productivity tips on creating effective workflows so everyone is on the same page with boundaries and communication
• The different standards between being a mom in the workplace versus being a dad (and how moms have to navigate that)
• FACT: It’s harder for moms to get hired. When women reveal they have children, are they being explicitly discriminated against?
• Managing the dynamics of juggling family activities, finances, career advancement, and job obligations
• Why “time is the great equalizer” (everyone has the same amount of it) and how to use that to your advantage when setting expectations
• Detailed strategies for dealing with guilt about missing bedtimes or activities
• How to communicate with your kids the importance of taking time for yourself
• The valuable mindset shift of “work/life presence” vs. “work/life balance