IncrediBuild's China GM Does Not Miss Taking the Kids to School

The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis and the tightening regulations have forced many tech workers to shift to remote work from home. Miriam Yaron, general manager of the Chinese operation of software company IncrediBuild Software Ltd., answered four questions about her new daily routine.

Name: Miriam Yaron

Company: IncrediBuild

Position: general manager of China operation

Seniority: 1 year

Familial Status: married with two children: an eight year old boy and a five year old girl

GM of #IncrediBuild China, Miriam Yaron, shares her daily routine during the #coronavirus crisis

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What is your lockdown routine?

As the manager of IncrediBuild’s Chinese operation, I am used to working remotely with my team in Chengdu, China. Nevertheless, working from home with two young kids for the third week in a row and having a husband who still leaves for work almost every day, is challenging.

We, at IncrediBuild, have been working from home once a week for many years, therefore I already have techniques to help me balance between my family and my work.

I work in short shifts, for a maximum of two hours at a time. My daily work routine includes anything from sales management meetings, to planning IncrediBuild’s marketing strategy for the rest of the year, recruiting more salespeople, and supporting our customers and partners.

The most difficult thing for me to deal with, is the uncertainty this crisis brings to all levels of existence, but in the spirit of staying positive, there is no place like home.

What tips can you share about working from home?

Focus. Make sure you have everything you need—from cables and headphones, to a drink or a phone charger—at hand when you start working. This way, you minimize your chances of getting distracted.

Be compassionate and patient. You have to be flexible and accept the fact that you cannot control your home environment, especially with young kids roaming around the house and demanding attention. This is a good chance to practice patience and empathy towards your kids and your colleagues. You will continue to reap the benefits of this exercise in both domains of your life when the crisis is over.

Plan ahead. Take time before you start working to prepare fresh fruit and vegetables that will be available for you and the kids throughout the day.

What do you miss most about your office routine?

1. Meeting my colleagues face to face and travelling to China.

2. Hearing myself think.

3. Having lunch without having to cook it.

What will you miss most when life goes back to normal?

I will miss not having to do the following: wake the kids up for school, get them ready, and take them there, before clocking in at the office at 9 a.m.. Every working mom knows that what we do every day between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. is far more difficult than any career challenge we will ever face.