COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we live, work and experience the world around us as we practice social distancing. In efforts to be good neighbors and seek the protection of the vulnerable, my family has been afforded the privilege to work from home causing my two biggest roles in life to somehow co-exist—I am now full-time mom to a sweet three-month-old baby girl and full-time employee of Momentous Institute.

Despite the tension this dynamic could bring, the only way to fulfill these two “workloads” successfully is to practice self-care. Just the other day, I was feeding my daughter on one arm of the chair and answering emails from my laptop on the other. This is not normal! But, if I am going to be of any good to anyone, I must focus on “filling up my tank” so I can be “poured out” in healthy ways over the coming weeks as I commit to be both mom and employee.

Here are three ways I am prioritizing self-care as a full-time parent who is also working full-time from home:

1. Set a routine

Abiding by a predictable schedule each day is a great way to fortify our mental health against the unpredictability of the world around us. This has never been clearer to me than in seeing our baby girl flourish in the daily routine we’ve now setup for her: eat-play-sleep-repeat. As her smiles and sleep stretches have increased, I’ve learned for myself that I can prioritize working on projects while she takes naps, take time to stop and eat a real lunch so that I can maintain energy and even run outside to gain fresh thoughts after answering emails!

2. Move

As I balance taking care of a baby and writing for assignments at work, I must fight to move on a daily basis. Whether it’s going out for a short walk to enjoy the outdoors with stroller in tow, playing fetch with my Australian shepherd as my baby plays or utilizing my Total Gym for a mini-arm workout (yes, thank you Chuck Norris), it is beneficial in every aspect to pause from the computer screen and train my body to let go of stress and receive new, positive energy.

3. Make time for my favorite things

A small group I was participating in recently asked the question, “what are some things you need in order to create your most comfortable moments?” My answer involved, “Dr. Pepper during the day, red wine at night, my recliner, a hot shower or “The West Wing.” In looking at how best to take care of myself, I am focusing on ways to incorporate some of my favorite things into the new workflow of projects and care for my daughter at home. This looks like editing documents from my recliner, watching an episode of my favorite television show during lunch and even opening a Dr. Pepper for a caffeine boost in the afternoon when my daughter needs extra cuddles.

Though the days will be chaotic as we face COVID-19, I am committed to self-care so both my family and my team can thrive. Despite these unprecedented events, let’s set the precedent that care for ourselves as parents and employees is a priority and not an after-thought.