The Lived Experience of Working Married Women on the Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The present research was done with the aim of investigating the lived experience of working married women on the quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic by using a qualitative method of phenomenology. The population of the research included all married working women in Tehran, 13 of whom were selected and included from March 2021 in a purposeful way until theoretical saturation was reached in an in-depth semi-structured interview. The data was analyzed by the seven-step Colaizzi method. The findings were classified into 4 main themes and 19 sub-themes as follows: the main theme of the opportunities obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic (including the sub-themes of providing the opportunity to be physically and mentally with children; providing the opportunity for personal growth; the opportunity to appreciate God, oneself , family and job), the main theme of support received during the COVID-19 pandemic (including the sub-themes of being supported by parents; being supported at the workplace; being supported by the spouse), family challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic (including the sub-themes of children's academic failure; the impossibility of physical care and sufficient emotional support for children; intensification of disputes with spouses; intensification of disputes with children; reduction of couples' sexual relations; feelings of loneliness; anxiety of loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and the main theme of career challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic (with sub-themes of worry for the right reason) not getting things done; reducing job performance and efficiency; reducing concentration in doing work-related matters; increasing job duties due to the illness of colleagues; financial pressure and lack of financial support from the workplace; experiencing negative feelings of staying at home such as depression; feelings of incompetence and self-blame due to Inability to do things at the same time. According to the findings, it can be concluded that the more psychological, economic and supportive working women have in the field of work and family, the more they can deal with the problems caused by crisis times such as the Corona era and its aftermath. Manage more effectively. Additionally, enriching the work and family environment during the COVID-19 pandemic can increase the preparedness of married working women against similar crises in the future.