Anyone experience burnout after returning to work from mat leave?

[FFSparenting]

I have been signed off work with depression and anxiety and am now contemplating what to do when I go back to work. I feel intense anxiety about returning to work and have been finding having a young child (2 year old) and working almost full time utterly exhausting. I feel I have managed it for the past 18 months or so since returning from mat leave but have been slowly grinding myself into the ground until I felt broken. I wonder how common this is? My GP said she sees it a lot and often it's the mental load on women which I find depressing but probably true in my situation. I know a lot of friends are on antidepressants to cope with work and young kids.

I wonder how many people on here have reached burnout with the combination of being a parent and working. If so what you did to find a path through it?

For me I am starting to think I can't do the fast paced job thing anymore. It is costing me too much and robbing me of time with my family. Anyone else feel like this and what did you do? Career change, reduce hours? Any tips or stories of finding a more joyful peaceful life welcome!

For me I found that once I returned to work I just didn't care enough about it any more.

I would much rather be going to baby groups and pottering around marks and spencer than in the office, looking at spreadsheets doing teams meetings etc.

I don't have a bad job at all, I like the sector and I used to really enjoy it. Management are good and supportive and it is a really flexible environment.

I just feel like I had a glimpse of a much freer way of life that I am unlikely to have again (bar having another child) (i have a DS3 and DD18mo)

@FFSparenting i could have written your post! In exact same position currently and am too at a loss as to the way forward. At the moment I am taking the time off to try and relax and get a grip on my anxiety, which has been steadily worsening the last few months.

Yes, I feel exactly the same! I loved my job so much before kids, I resent every single second of it now. And DH is very hands on and does his share (and more sometimes) so I can't even blame that. I just so so drained by it all.

Have you been referred / referred yourself for talking therapy?

How many hours do you work?

How much responsibility do you have? Can you step down from any of it?

What support do you have? What support would you ideally want?

What childcare do you have?

Are the standards you're setting for yourself reasonable? Or are you putting more pressure on yourself than necessary?