Is Your Work "Worth It"?

Why do you work?

If you’re anything like me, that answer has changed over the years, and especially since having kids.

Before I had my son (my first), I worked because it was what you do. I needed to support myself, to pay off loans, to pay for fun things like trips and nights out and new clothes, and to save for bigger future purchases (car, house, etc.).

But I was also ambitious. I loved my degree and wanted to learn, and network, and be promoted. I wanted to prove myself and... I needed insurance.

After I had Henry, I was READY to go back to work. I missed the structure and routine. I missed the adult conversation and sense of accomplishment. And I desperately hoped that in going back to work, I would start to feel like myself again (read more about that here).

And that's when a shift happened.

LOVING YOUR WORK

It started with Henry and grew stronger with each of my next two maternity leaves - this need to really LOVE my work. To feel fulfilled by it and for it to be my purpose in life.

Because if I was going to leave my kids for 40-50 hours a week, pay an ungodly amount of money for childcare, and cram all of the household responsibilities into my weekends, my job needed to be WORTH it.

Do you ever feel like that?

Like there’s this pressure to be doing work that is your life’s calling? That in order for working to be “worth it” it needs to be fulfilling? That you need to love it?

So many of the women I talk to feel the same way.

They put all of this pressure on themselves and their jobs. And then they feel disappointed and frustrated when it doesn’t live up to their expectations.

And so I’ll ask you what I ask them…

What IS good about your job?

What does it do for you?

If you can start looking for answers to these questions, for proof that there is value in the work that you do, you can start to ditch the frustration and endless questioning of “is this worth it”? {Because newsflash, no job is perfect.}

Before you can truly answer the question - Is this worth it? - you need to be able to answer the questions above.

You need to learn how to appreciate and learn from your current position, otherwise, those feelings of discontent will follow you from job to job or from job to home.

The job itself doesn’t provide fulfillment or purpose or satisfaction. You do.

The work is with you. It always is.

The Work Is With You

Did you know that I coach women who are questioning whether being a working mom is for them? Women who are ready to change jobs, change careers, or start a business while being a mom?

Yes, I’ve even coached women who have ultimately decided to opt-out of the workforce for a while.

If you’re feeling unhappy or stuck in your current work. If you’re feeling like you’re on the edge of a change. If you’re wanting to feel fulfilled and purposeful in your work. Life coaching for working moms could be just the thing to help you get unstuck, to commit to your decision, and to figure out your next step.

The question you need to ask yourself is, what is this costing you?

To learn more about life coaching for working moms, click here.