Are You a Working Mom? Save Your Sanity With These Tips
By Brooke Strickland
Writer for FEP International
I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She is more wonderful than I ever could have imagined and I spent the last 12 weeks on a blissful, and sometimes challenging, maternity leave.
And of course all good things must come to an end. My husband and I both had to go back to work and I am required to leave my baby girl. The dreaded guilt factor forcefully creeps its way into my life on those days I have to work. It is almost impossible not to have some guilt that I am not the one feeding her, changing her poopy diaper, or giving her kisses all day. Yet, providing financially for her is also a necessity. Going back to work is a decision that was a lot harder to make than I expected it to be. So, here I go, back into the workforce with a tinge of excitement to be back among adults, but also a coat of sadness knowing my baby is with someone else. Am I alone in my feelings? I doubt it. So, I did some research. How do other working moms cope?
Here are some tips to help save your sanity.
* Express yourself: It is ok to feel sad, angry, or frustrated. Talk about your feelings to your spouse or a close friend, or better yet, other working moms. Don’t bottle up your feelings, because you and your child will pay later.
* List: Make a list of reasons why you chose to work outside the home. This can help you recognize your motivations for working and can help you get through the days when you feel like you made the wrong choice.
* Make a keepsake: Have your children make you a keepsake to take along with you to work. If they are not old enough to do this, then cover your cubicle or office with pictures of your kids, so you can enjoy looking at them all day. Having these things can help you miss them just a little bit less.
* Make time: Make the time that you have with your child special. So on the evenings and weekends, set aside some time to do some special activities that will allow you and your kids to bond.
* Take care of yourself: This goes both emotionally and physically. Cut down on unnecessary stressors. Carve out a little bit of time for yourself, whether it be by taking a walk or jog, getting a massage, reading a book, or talking with a friend.
More than 70 percent of mothers work outside the home, so if you are one of them, you need not feel guilty. Just follow these simple tips to help you get through each day, and enjoy the homecoming at night when you get to see your little one’s precious face.
And of course all good things must come to an end. My husband and I both had to go back to work and I am required to leave my baby girl. The dreaded guilt factor forcefully creeps its way into my life on those days I have to work. It is almost impossible not to have some guilt that I am not the one feeding her, changing her poopy diaper, or giving her kisses all day. Yet, providing financially for her is also a necessity. Going back to work is a decision that was a lot harder to make than I expected it to be. So, here I go, back into the workforce with a tinge of excitement to be back among adults, but also a coat of sadness knowing my baby is with someone else. Am I alone in my feelings? I doubt it. So, I did some research. How do other working moms cope?
Here are some tips to help save your sanity.
* Express yourself: It is ok to feel sad, angry, or frustrated. Talk about your feelings to your spouse or a close friend, or better yet, other working moms. Don’t bottle up your feelings, because you and your child will pay later.
* List: Make a list of reasons why you chose to work outside the home. This can help you recognize your motivations for working and can help you get through the days when you feel like you made the wrong choice.
* Make a keepsake: Have your children make you a keepsake to take along with you to work. If they are not old enough to do this, then cover your cubicle or office with pictures of your kids, so you can enjoy looking at them all day. Having these things can help you miss them just a little bit less.
* Make time: Make the time that you have with your child special. So on the evenings and weekends, set aside some time to do some special activities that will allow you and your kids to bond.
* Take care of yourself: This goes both emotionally and physically. Cut down on unnecessary stressors. Carve out a little bit of time for yourself, whether it be by taking a walk or jog, getting a massage, reading a book, or talking with a friend.
More than 70 percent of mothers work outside the home, so if you are one of them, you need not feel guilty. Just follow these simple tips to help you get through each day, and enjoy the homecoming at night when you get to see your little one’s precious face.
posted by MedRounds Publications at 2:26 PM
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