Becoming A Mom & Change in Perspective/Approach @ Work?

I have a 1.5 year old son and went back to work full time when he was 8 months. Before I had him my work meant everything to me. It still is very important (money and my own career), but obviously my priorities have changed and my son always comes first. I feel that I’m now more balanced in my approach to work, I don’t sweat about the small stuff, I’ve learnt to know my limits, but also make the most of my working day as overtime or working from home in the evenings are a no no to me.

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I had this same feeling! It was actually very healthy for me to take work less seriously just because of how much of my time at home used to be spent on work. I feel much more relaxed and balanced!

I totally agree- before baby Work was much higher priority. Now, I have a completely different perspective and obviously different priorities. I have less tolerance for some of the political things!

Yes! So much that I’m leaving the workforce for a bit to focus on my little one. Like my husband says our son is our investment now. I battled becoming a SAHM to give up career but had way too many signs indicating that I needed to be home with him. What helps with the transition is I was already considering changing careers anyway.

Similar to the first few comments I was always very focused on work, I really love my job! My daughter is now my top priority, but I find myself more passionate about work. If someone isn’t taking their job as seriously, or down plays work that I do I get very upset. I know that I could be home with my baby, and don’t want to feel like my time is being poorly spent.

I’m much more efficient now. I work from home from 6-9am before my son wakes up (he’s on a 9-9 schedule), then during his two naps for a total of 7 hours per day. I’m an attorney and I manage to bill about 6-6.5 hours of time in those 7 hours. Before having him, I’d fuck around and maybe bill 5 hours in a 7 hour working session.

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Not only do I enjoy it, but I love it! I actually have a side business helping women negotiate paid maternity leave and work arrangements. Happy to talk if you’re interested in my services. The key is setting hours and sticking to them and then being flexible enough to answer calls if needed on those off hours!

What an amazing schedule! My daughter is 3m, and my leave ends in 1mo. Because I work from home and a nanny here would be too distracting, we decided to find a home daycare nearby I could take her to. But I’m DREADING going back. I never wanted to be a mom, but I can’t believe how much I love being with her. I am too scared to take a break and quit my awesome WFH job with Deloitte. I hadn’t thought of anything like your schedule but I LOVE it! Do you enjoy it? How did you get your work to agree and how easy was it to get into the routine? You’ve inspired me to try and get this to happen 💕

So now that my daughter is here I am motivated to go to work spend that time earning for our little family. Before I wouldn’t be as great of a employee especially if I didn’t like the job. But having a baby showed me the importance of consistency and discipline because it’s not just me now

It certainly changed my perspective, though it wasn’t until I brought baby number 2 home. Missing milestones, hearing about her first steps second hand... I couldn’t do it again. These children were my life and I was missing moments that were so important to me... I quote my job after one month of being bay to work. I’m know there were lots of postpartum emotions involved, but I’ve been home for almost 4 years now and so grateful for every second.

I wish I could say the same. My life has changed and just want to stay home with my boy. We’re working our way so I can stay home or even part time but it’s hard now. Im honestly less motivated at work. It’s like I just count down the minutes til I come home and be with my son. I am trying to deal with it and finding a better balance with my life now. I wish I had other Mom friends but I’m finding it hard to find that and have a full time job. It’s a struggle

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Hi Jane I have definitely felt this way before. If you need someone to talk to I am here.

Hi Krystal thank you so much for reaching out. Did you stay working full time?

Heck yes my perspective about work has changed. I work with 5 people who do not have children (1 has an adult stepchild). They cannot relate when I have to work from home on a sick day or when I leave at the end of the day to not answer emails or work calls b/c I am “on” as a mother. It has caused a few tense moments when I advocate for myself when it comes to me not being able to participate in certain things.

Yes it totally changed my perspective. I thought I’d go back to my career but I actually ended up resigning. I was a SAHM and then started up something from home because I missed having the income and also that feeling of success in a job/business. It really does change your outlook on life! For the better o think

Absolutely! I can’t tell you how excited I was to get back to work. I was fortunate enough to have 5 months with my LO (little one) but I was craving alone time and did not feel guilty dropping him off to the nanny the first day at work. Matter fact this euphoria lasted for about 2 months, then the working mom guilt hit me like a ton of bricks! I mean I would text/call the nanny asking how he was doing or what he was doing. I constantly find that I have to reassure myself that I’m doing the right thing and that I am making the right choice to be at work. I know for my situation (still paying off student loans) it helps when two people contribute to paying bills. As far as how my approach to work...I’d say I’m a lot more strategic. I think about how to increase my efficiency and constantly find myself researching productivity hacks so I can get more done in less time and sleep!!!

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Same!! At first I was relieved to have a schedule to look forward to that I could conquer and feel rewarded for and feel accomplished at the end of a work day... but then I started feeling guilty and missing out on milestones and fun and learning is killing me... need the two incomes in our household if we ever want to move out of the tiny rental we’re in and buy a house and pay it off 😣 but by that point she’ll be so much older. At only 20 with a husband and a 1 year old I feel like I’m eternally trying so frantically to catch up to other mommies who were financially stable, more experienced in life, and were planning to have their child (I didn’t even think I wanted to be a mommy). It’s so hard every day to feel torn between trying to build savings and work for our future and a house of our own or to try and scrape pennies out of couch cushions every day so I can stay home and we can still put food on the table of our tiny old rental each day.

Honestly. When i had my daughter almost 3 years ago it messed me up havinf to go back to work so soon. I fell into a depressiom and ended up losing my job i had been at for 3 years. It was horrible. And im still struggling to get back on my feet. Its tough!

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Thanks.. I feel for you i really do. It is an ongoing battle..makes the good days that much better though (:

I’ve had depression for almost 10 years now in different levels at different points in my life, so I can relate to how hard it is trying to hold things together while going through that -especially now with mommy responsibilities. Being a full time working mom and still trying to play with my daughter and take care of her in my limited free time after work and still try to clean the house while my husband cooks dinner is crazy hard without the weight and stress and lack of motivation that comes with depression. I’m sorry.

Definitely dreading going back to work. My mom is going to watch my little peanut while I work over summer before we have to move for my husband to finish his education.

I’m still on maternity leave but I’m very nervous about going back to work in August! Fortunately I still have time.

I have not had a full-time job since having my kiddos! I want to be there as much as I can!!

I was a die-hard career woman before baby. I didn’t think I could ever do the full-time housewife thing. After having my little girl, though, I lost my job and am loving it almost too much. Being her mom is all I want to do all day lately, and the fact that I need to find another job is killing me. I’m now looking for remote jobs that I can do so I don’t have to leave her.

If anything being a mother has made me better at work! When I went back I took my job more seriously and ended up moving up in the company very quickly. I learned patience with my daughter which helped me with patience at work with clients and associates. I became more even tempered and determined!

I’m a full time working single mom and I’ll tell you right now it sucks cheese balls going to work every day most days the only time I see my kids is when I take them to school and daycare and it sucks but finding the balance between work and home is important I used to be the person they would call if someone missed work and I’d go in for extra but now it’s all about the kids doesn’t matter what’s going on at work you’ve got to remember unfortunately in this world almost everyone is replaceable to a major corporation so don’t miss time with your kids for a job that can replace you that’s why even though I’m a pharmacy technician and will be able to find a job anywhere I still have a side business (thrive) because some day soon I’m going to stop missing days with my kids so that we can have food and a place to stay

Yep, I thought I would go back to work ASAP but I asked to reduce my hours and now I only work part-time the most valuable thing in my life is spending time with my child I don’t want to miss a step

For sure!! I told myself I would NEVER be a stay at home mom! But as soon as I had him I knew I wouldn’t wanna go back to work. So I’ve become a work from home mom and love it! Can’t believe how much he’s changed my views on things lol