image: ALEVTINA SHATALOVA Алевтина Шаталова (Moscow)©imagofeminae winter 2024/ 2025 XLll foto: Courtesy of ALEVTINA SHATALOVA 

Senior lecturer at the Department of Information Technology and Big Data Analysis, mathematician, leading programer at the Software Department Center, founder of the Matchclub training laboratory, art director of the creative agency. „Zaychapay“, dancer-trainer, winner of the ROC2023 championship, judge in ballroom dancing of the RTS II category.

"DO EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS"

"At first glance, it may seem that all these roles are difficult to combine, but i want to share with you my secrets of productivity and time management" alevtina shatalova

A Self-Portrait written by ALEVTINA SHATALOVA (Moscow)

image: ALEVTINA SHATALOVA Алевтина Шаталова (Moscow) at work  ©imagofeminae winter 2024/ 2025 XLll foto: Courtesy of ALEVTINA SHATALOVA

From the inside

I am a mother of a charming son who is 7 months old, a loving wife, a senior lecturer at the university, a dancer, a trainer, a dance judge, a programmer, a mathematician and an art director.

How do I manage to do all this? Probably because I perceive it as a game. Now you are a professional dancer, you give it your all during training, train other athletes, go to tournaments with them, evaluate the skills of dancers at championships, and at another moment you are already writing code for API, designing web applications, lecturing students about new frameworks in cross-platform development and speaking on a scientific podcast that is designed to inspire young people to do science.

I will not hide that such a switch is not always easy, sometimes it takes some time to remember where I stopped last time. But I really like this game. It gives an opportunity to look at emerging problems from a broader perspective, as if from the outside, in order to find the optimal solution.

iimage: ALEVTINA SHATALOVA Алевтина Шаталова (Moscow)  with her family © imagofeminae winter 2024/ 2025 XLll foto: Courtesy of ALEVTINA SHATALOVA

About motherhood

I am 37 years old and since I have been living in multitasking mode since childhood, such a switch has long become habitual for me. Juggling roles and managing to do everything I like - being a good student at school, then running to dance practice, and in the evening making paper flowers for my mother at the "handyman's circle" — was a normal thing for me. But perhaps the most difficult thing was playing the role of a mother. It requires completely different skills, not those that I had before. Of course, like most mothers, I was overwhelmed by a huge wave of love and tenderness for my son, and the pregnancy and birth itself went very well, and I also have wonderful support in the person of my husband, and later, a nanny. Nevertheless, spending a lot of time with a baby without the opportumty to do anything else is a pretty serious test for any adult. Well, here I probably won't say anything new, but this is a very effective strategy - giving yourself more "time for yourself".

image: ALEVTINA SHATALOVA Алевтина Шаталова (Moscow) at work Portrait  ©imagofeminae winter 2024/ 2025 XLll foto: Courtesy of ALEVTINA SHATALOVA

Every mother needs such time in addition to the time to satisfy basic needs, such as sleep, going to the hairdresser and the ability to cook for yourself Time for herself is the time she can devote to her creativity, interests or development. It can be sports, drawing, reading books, watching YouTube videos - anything that gives inspiration. For me, this time was the opportunity to continue doing my projects. I remember how it was very difficult for me to be in the maternity hospital for four days, since this was my first experience of being in a hospital and the feeling that life had improved came when my husband brought me a working laptop from the department.

Every day in my work I face challenges that require not only professional skills from me, but also soft ones, for example, the ability to manage my time. Here are some ideas why I like combining such diverse roles and finding time for everything.

image: ALEVTINA SHATALOVA Алевтина Шаталова (Moscow)- Dancing Costume.  Portrait © imagofeminae winter 2024/ 2025 XLll foto: Courtesy of ALEVTINA SHATALOVA.

Teaching and science

Teaching is my passion. I believe that education is the key to the future, and I try to inspire my students to study information technology. As part of my work, I have developed several courses on UX / UI design, programming and data analysis, which help students not only master the theory, but also apply their knowledge in practice. I actively use modern technologies and methods to make learning more interactive and exciting.

Programming and Software Development

As a lead programmer, I develop software, which allows me to apply my mathematical knowledge in practice. At the Software Development Center, I work on projects that require a creative approach and analytical thinking. This helps me stay up to date with the latest trends in IT and pass on my knowledge to students.

Creativity and Art Direction

I became the art director of the creative agency "Zaychapay" because I always dreamed of doing something creative. Here I manage projects that require unconventional thinking and original ideas. I enjoy working with a team of talented people, and I believe that creativity plays an important role in any field, including technology. Dancing as a way of self-expression Dancing is another passion of mine. I am a dancer-coach and a category II ballroom dance judge. Participating in championships such as ROC2023 gives me the opportunity not only to develop my skills but also to inspire others. Dancing helps me relax and recharge with positive energy, which is especially important in our busy lives.

image: ALEVTINA SHATALOVA Алевтина Шаталова (Moscow)  University Portrait ©imagofeminae winter 2024/ 2025 XLll foto: Courtesy of ALEVTINA SHATALOVA

How to manage everything?

1. Planning: I always make a schedule for the week, setting aside time for work, teaching and personal hobbies. This helps me not to lose focus and avoid overload.

2. Priorities: I determine the priorities for the moment and focus on them. This allows me to achieve results in each of the areas that are important to me.

3. Flexibility: I try to be flexible and adapt to changes. Sometimes plans can change, and it is important to be able to find a way out of the situation.

4. Support: I am surrounded by people who support me in my endeavors. The team at the university, coaches, colleagues at the agency and students inspire me and help me move forward.

Conclusions

Each of us can find our own balance between work, hobbies and personal life. The main thing is to set priorities correctly, plan your time and be open to new opportunities. My experience shows that, despite the workload, you can successfully combine different roles and find time for what you really love. I hope that my path will inspire others to find their ideal balance and strive for
new achievements.