Back to work & struggling emotionally

[Laura2211]

Hello mums,

I went back to work this week after being off for over a year with DS2. I was looking forward to getting back in to the swing of things at work but I’ve actually found it a lot harder than I thought. I feel very emotional at work & feel I just want to be with my children (ages 3 & 1) rather than stuck in an office. I’m also lacking a lot energy for work too. I’ve always been very career motivated and With DD1, I got back in the routine of work quickly & had a good work life balance. The children are well settled at a childminder so I’m not worried about that at all.

can anyone help with any advice to get myself motivated to get myself back up & running into work?

It’s very early days. I similarly went back happily after DD1 & quickly got back in the swing but DD2, much harder. I think mostly because life is so much busier & more tiring with two. There is far less of breather at any point. So between two kids & a job, my brain was fried the first month or so really.. it got better though, once my brain woke up and I got familiar with everything again. A colleague told me to just not worry for the first 4-6 weeks. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just focus on getting settled, remembering everything & getting back into the flow of working life.

I think there was also a bit of grieving process going back after DD2. I don’t want anymore kids. I’m done. So that was the end of maternity, never to be done again. No more years off being paid 😂 & my youngest is my baby and I felt far sadder when she started nursery than I remember feeling for DD1.. not to say I wasn’t sad obviously!

@Bobbins5467 thank you! Good to hear it gets easier… it probably doesn’t help that I work in a fast paced role & I really do need to get back to speed quickly… I just didn’t think I’d feel so out of touch & emotional as I do!