Have you just gone back to work after a long maternity leave? Do you find yourself in a constant dilemma about having to juggle between your baby and office? If yes, then you are not alone. It’s challenging for most working moms to strike a balance between their home and professional life. The overwhelming ‘mom guilt’ is one of the most prominent challenges they face as they resume work. Here are some tips on how to deal with it better:
- Talk through your feelings. It’s common for new mothers to feel guilty about leaving their babies in the care of others. It’s easy to assume that moms should want to stay home and care for their children themselves. But those feelings might not be realistic for everyone — some women may be more fulfilled in other ways (such as working on a career goal), or they may need a job to support their families.
- Overcome workplace barriers. Many employers don’t provide environments that make it easy for new parents to return to work after having a baby. You can’t always change your employer or your industry, but you may be able to negotiate flexible working arrangements that fit your needs (or even take parental leave if you’re eligible).
- Talk to your partner. Be open about how you feel. Share it with your partner and ask them to be patient with you until you get over the feeling. Let them know that this could take some time and how they can help you sail through this phase by easing off the pressure when they can.
- Talk to your children. If your child is old enough, have a conversation with them about why you need to work and what it means for all of you as a family. Explain why you have decided to resume work at this point and how this will help everyone in the long run. Sometimes, we tend to worry too much about what others would say or think when we should be having these conversations with our own kids instead!
