3.6.2. Subtheme 1.2: Loss of the Distinction between Work and Life (Family)

The participants recognized that there was a merging of work and life, and it became very difficult to carve out separate lives for themselves as well as for their children. As Amira reflected, "There was a merging of work and life. Because of the physical space, there was no more demarcation zone. There was nostalgia for lost times and normal times. Our life was compartmentalized. Now, everyone is under one roof. You are trying to do your work to the best of your ability but you had to ensure that the kids were plugged in and doing what they were supposed to do. It was challenging. Before I had a demarcation zone between work and life".

Murphy reflected that even in "normal" times, she had trouble carving out a life separate from work and creating work–life balance. She had to schedule it on a calendar. She recognized she needed physical exercise and meditation, and she has been a yoga teacher from 2006 to 2016, which helped her remember "that my head was connected to a body". As an intellectual, she said she could sit under a tree and think all day. The pandemic made it more difficult for Murphy to maintain her work–life balance. On the other hand, Murphy said that some of her colleagues absolutely hated having to be at home with their families, but that she certainly did not hate this because her partner and sons "are very chill" and she felt totally supported. Tammy discussed, in detail, having to homeschool her children while working and jumping from work calls to care and back all day. Ebere described the stress of being glued to the computer or television all day in order to work and educate her son while trying to take care of her household responsibilities.
