intro

Participant Experiences of Temporary Shifts in Work and Home Life

  • Examination of participant experiences related to changes in work and home life due to external circumstances.

  • Focus on the expression of emotions and the concept of emotion work during these shifts.

  • Investigation of potential long-term reconfigurations of familial and work organization resulting from these experiences.

Emerging Demands for Social Change

  • Although new pressures (e.g., concerns about viral transmission) may lessen over time, some issues will persist, such as:
      - The challenge of 'balancing' self-care against selflessness.
      - The difficulty of maintaining productivity while being available for family needs.

  • These challenges indicate a growing demand for transformation in the structure and understanding of work.

  • Analysis reveals a collective desire for social change as reflected in accounts of new and existing feeling rules.

Social Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada

  • Significant changes in how paid work is performed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Some workers, designated as "essential workers," continued to work at their physical workplaces throughout the pandemic.

  • Others either lost their jobs or adapted by working from home.

  • In Nova Scotia, Canada, a notable shift occurred in March 2020, implementing public health protocols that included strict movement and gathering limitations.

Statistical Data on Remote Work

  • As of March 28, 2020:
      - Approximately 4.7 million Canadians were working from home.
      - This marked a rapid increase from 13% to 39% of the Canadian labor force.
        - Sources:
          - Statistics Canada, 2020.
          - Pre-pandemic estimates suggested that 38.9% of Canada's workforce had the potential to work remotely (Deng et al., 2020).

Study Focus on Feeling Rules and Emotion Work

  • The article examines the creation of feeling rules and the consequent emotion work among parents working from home.

  • Data source includes journal entries from five participants reflecting their experiences.

  • The collective uncertainty regarding the norms governing everyday life while working from home informs the study’s focus on feeling rules and emotion work.

  • The title, "Everyday Life in a Pandemic,” encapsulates a paradox:
      - Individuals were navigating extraordinary circumstances while also engaging with mundane aspects of daily life.

Exploration of Everyday Life Dynamics

  • The study seeks to explore how ordinary life continued during times of crisis, reflecting on the ongoing emotional and structural impacts of the pandemic on work and family dynamics.