I could really use some collective wisdom from this community. My son, Simon, is two, and I’ve been back at my project manager job for a while now. On paper, everything is good—I genuinely enjoy my work, it’s challenging, and I feel like I’m contributing. But lately, I’ve just been hit with this overwhelming sense of unsustainability.
My partner and I are pretty organized. We have our shared calendars for daycare pickups, we meal prep, and I’ve tried to set firm boundaries to protect family time in the evenings. We’ve done the research and implemented the life hacks, but the mental load just feels immense. The constant, rapid context-switching from a detailed project plan to a toddler who has thrown his food on the floor is starting to feel like it’s causing a system failure in my brain. I feel like I’m dropping balls in both areas of my life—not being focused enough at work, and not being patient enough at home.
I guess I’m just wondering, for those of you further down this road, is this just a phase? Does it get easier as they get older, or do the challenges just change? I feel so much empathy for every parent trying to navigate this. Any strategies for managing the burnout without giving up a career you otherwise find fulfilling would be so appreciated. Thank you all for being such a supportive space.