As a working mother of three, finding that work-life balance is complicated. In the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, I found myself thinking that MomMe and WorkMe are two very different and separate people within myself. What made me great at my job wasn’t necessary the best qualities when it comes to raising kids.
WorkMe is very focused on completing my tasks on time, holding people accountable for their work, and quite honestly, a bit controlling.
MomMe, on the other hand, is nurturing, understanding, and more compassionate.
Working at home and having to do remote learning with my kids in the height of the pandemic was a struggle. I found myself unable to switch off WorkMe, even at the end of the work day. I felt like I had unrealistic expectations of my kids to follow a strict schedule and abide by the rules.
Then, when they had unexpected technical issues with their Chromebooks or when I needed to switch to MomMe during the workday to assist with their remote learning, I felt annoyed by the distraction.
I recognized that my kids needed me and it wasn’t their fault that they too were placed in this situation caused by the pandemic. However, at those moments in the beginning, I found it hard to switch off WorkMe and tend to their needs as their mother. I struggled with guilt at night thinking about how I could have been more helpful or compassionate in my actions to resolve their issues and allow them to vocalize their frustrations.
Being divorced, I co-parent my two older kids with my ex husband, which in itself is a learning experience. Then, right before the pandemic, I started to find love in a new partner and a year into the pandemic, got pregnant unexpectedly with my third child.
I decided to start this blog to share my real-life stories and lessons learned as I continue on my journey to find that work-life balance.
As a writer, I also crave an outlet where I can share my experiences and struggles to help other women as we navigate through the different stages of our lives.
