Unraveling All of the Career Stress and Mom Guilt

Everyone always talks about mom guilt. But you’re never fully prepared for the deep, visceral way it takes hold of you.

 

One of the best things about the pandemic was being able to work from home, and, as a result, being able to have more time with my kiddos. But even with working from home every day, I still felt a huge amount of mom guilt. My girly would want me to play with her, but I would have to tell her over and over that I had to work.

 

Trying to figure out how to manage the stress around this guilt of having to keep disappointing my kiddo was so difficult. I was working in a position that I used to love but had grown to hate. I was dealing with a toxic work environment, even while working from home. My coping mechanisms and stress management leading up to my maternity leave last summer was mostly crap food and vegging out on the couch to crappier television after the girly went to bed.

 

As things came to a head right before I left for my six-month maternity leave, I knew I had to make some big changes. Not only were my stress management choices not doing me any good, but I knew I had to figure out my toxic work situation, as well.

 

I started cutting out the crap food. It was a process – addiction to junk food is no joke – but I took baby steps and worked my way up. I still struggle with this, because, um, I love sugar and carbs, but I’m getting better each day. I also started focusing more on meditation, gratitude, and enjoying mini dance parties with the little girly.

 

And I took a huge leap and applied for a new job. I ended my six-month maternity leave starting a new job with amazing people and doing something I find super fascinating and challenging.

 

And the best part – I don’t end my workday going back to my kiddos a great big ball of stress and anxiety. I come downstairs happy and ready to play with my kids. And that relieves so much mom guilt and makes the stress management so much easier.

 

I’m so grateful I took a chance on myself and leapt for the new job opportunity. Your work and career can be such a huge contributor to mom guilt, just like it was for me. So, being able to balance your career and home lives is super important. It makes all the difference to someone like me, with my anxieties, to love what you do.