I've lost my motivation

One of the many surprising things about having a child is how it can change your perspective. What seemed important before may not be quite so compelling now. On top of that you are probably tired. Think what you used to do after a day at work before your baby was born and compare it to what you do now. Being a working mum is like having two lives and sometimes it’s hard to find the energy and enthusiasm to do justice to either. Add to that hormonal changes that can make you more prone to depression and there are some very good reasons why you feel the way you do.

To move on you have to face up to what’s wrong and start to explore solutions. Does your lack of motivation stem mostly from tiredness, a desire to spend more time with your son or the feeling that your job doesn’t seem as worthwhile as it used to? Once you’ve identified the main reason for your discontent you can start to make changes. Quite small things can make a big difference, like altering the hours you work or dropping some of your responsibilities.

Children are only small for a very short time. A temporary cut in earnings can leave you feeling much richer and happier. What tears you apart is the feeling you are not doing anything properly. Be kinder to yourself and don’t expect to be able to take on the completely new and demanding job of being a mum as well as keeping up your previous level of work performance. Your employer sounds sympathetic, talk it over with him. The company would probably prefer to have a happy motivated you for fewer hours.

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