To The Working Mom Who Thinks of Quitting
Have you thought about joining the Great Resignation?
If you've had to quarantine with your kid or had school/daycare closures recently, I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind.
Or maybe it's that your work is no longer fulfilling and your days feel long and soul-sucking.
Or, maybe instead of you resigning, it's your colleagues who have resigned leaving you with more work than you could possibly do in a 60-hour workweek, let alone the 40 hours that you're actually paid for.
Regardless of the circumstances, it's a totally normal reaction to think about quitting or making a change. An easy one actually.
It's so much easier to fantasize about quitting or changing jobs than it is to sit with the anger, frustration, overwhelm, or apathy that comes from feeling like you're missing out on living your life.
Because being pulled between work and parenting, feeling apathetic, or being overworked impacts everything else.
I get it.
I actually considered leaving the workforce completely... Twice!
Me. The life coach for working moms. The advocate for women having a life and a career in addition to motherhood.
How did I decide whether to stay or quit?
I'll ask you what I ask myself whenever I contemplate making a professional change -
What is it that you want?
Do you WANT what's on the other side of the change? The new job. The alternate schedule. To stay home?
Or do you want to NOT feel the way you do now - angry, overwhelmed, apathetic, or frustrated?
If it's the former, you know what you need to do. Gather information. Analyze your budget. Search for new opportunities. Have the conversation.
But if it's the latter and you're really just tired of feeling the way you feel, you may want to explore these additional questions:
What is it that you do want? (assuming you know that what you have right now is what you don't want)
Could you get what you want without a professional change?
What are the costs of a change?
Is it possible that you could make a change and still feel the same way you do now?
Have you explored all possible solutions?
IT'S UP TO YOU
If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a mom, it's that everything changes - kids, jobs, schedules, feelings. And I've also learned that I can figure most things out when they do change.
So whether you decide to continue working, to change jobs, to stay home, or go part-time, you will figure it out if it's what you want.
To this day, I don't regret staying at my job. But there are plenty of other rash choices I've made that I wish I would have stopped first to ask what it was that I really wanted (like buying that dress I never wore just because I felt bored with my wardrobe).
Questions about career and professional changes are inextricably linked to the coaching I do with clients. Having a professional life is what makes a working mom a working mom. And when you change how you feel about your workweek, you often change the way you feel about the rest of your life too. Whether it's organizing your work time and tasks, finding energy and inspiration for your job again, or learning to set better boundaries, it bleeds into your relationships, your playtime, your sleep, and more.
Learn more about private coaching, the time commitment, possible results, and investment here.
If you want more time…
You need to implement my tried-and-true process for managing work and life with ease.
The Working Mom’s Ultimate Guide to Getting it Done will help you get organized and feel more in control so that you have the space to decide what it is you truly want.