Mothers' strategies to reconcile roles and responsibilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract Objective Theoretically guided by the capability approach, this study examines how mothers reconciled work and care responsibilities throughout the pandemic. Background The COVID‐19 pandemic placed heavy demands on mothers and limited their agency freedom. However, scholarly understanding of how mothers have used their resources to cope with the pandemic over time, and how their agency has contributed to their well‐being, is limited. Method Data are based on a qualitative longitudinal study of 70 (self‐)employed mothers in Austria, with 12 data collection waves between 2020 and 2022. Data analysis was based on the grounded theory coding scheme. Results The respondents managed the reconciliation of their roles and responsibilities by using three strategy sets: work adjustment, care adjustment, and self‐adjustment. Although the pandemic had detrimental effects on all respondents' agency freedom, the range of strategies they had at their disposal, and their use of these strategies varied considerably depending on their available resources. Conclusion Mothers managed to contribute actively to their own agency and well‐being through various strategies, demonstrating their ability to withstand crises. Implications This research allows family practitioners, stakeholders, and policymakers to develop targeted measures and interventions to help mothers regain and extend their agency freedom.