Working Mom: Finding Professional Peace in a Time of Pandemic

Much like many other parents, I found myself juggling more than ever when COVID-19 struck unexpectedly. Moms, in particular, take the brunt of the work in the daily lives of a family and these extreme changes were no exception. Quite honestly, as a single mom, I really don’t have a shared workload at home, other than the chores my son does. As a working mom, I’ve made tough decisions not asked of my male counterparts. The elusive work-life balance has become even harder to attain.

The novelty of returning to the stay-at-home mom lifestyle I’d abandoned when my son started school made me smile. I spent two months working from home and reacquainting myself with my son while my employer physically closed in response to coronavirus. Upon reopening, it was back to business as usual. However, I’d changed so much in the time of the closure that “business as usual” was no longer an option. I knew I needed to get back home to work permanently.

Ending a Career Pause

Over three years ago, I returned to work after a five year hiatus to raise my son. I advanced quickly within a single company as I accepted promotion after promotion within the Marketing department, finally landing in the leadership role of Advertising Manager. I was on an unstoppable upward trajectory of professional growth. I never expected it to come to a screeching halt out of nowhere.

Advancement Opportunities in the Workplace

After a year in my management role, career growth discussions took up much of the weekly meeting time with my boss. His plan, though still in the inception phase, was to scale up the Marketing department. He had me in mind for a Director role. This was a much needed change to the department, finally adding a crucial point person between him in his Executive role and the rest of us at management and below. Though the plan was not crystal clear, I was eager to show how ready I was for a new role.

Then COVID hit.

Unique Challenges of the Working Mom

Discussions continued but they began to take on a new tone. I was advised that the transition to a Director role would demand more of me. My boss suggested that my life outside of work might not allow me to take on such big responsibilities. He cautioned me to keep that in mind if I was genuinely interested in advancing with the company.

Face to face with this man, I agreed wholeheartedly with his plan to advance my career. All I could see was dollar signs and a more distinguished title. Internally, I pushed aside the concern that my status as a single mom was holding me back from advancing professionally. It started to feel very much like a toxic relationship that I needed to get out of ASAP.

That wasn’t going to happen me…AGAIN. I wanted to be the strong female role model for my son to look up to. Showing him that women can pursue the same satisfaction of career development afforded to men was important to me. However, it didn’t sit well with me that an inventory of my personal life and status as a working mom had potentially labeled me as less promotable.

Considering Other Options

It came to a point where the pressure to perform and the pay didn’t match up any longer. In order to promote, I needed to be physically in the office for 50-60 hours a week as a manager. HR ran a salary comparison that showed just how significantly underpaid I was for commensurate positions in the Southern California region. Additionally, I found that I actually WANTED to be more available for my son and home with my family when it was most important. Something had to change.

The new job search began when it became clear I could no longer trust my boss or my employer. I spent months applying to jobs on LinkedIn. Marketing Director and Copywriter positions weren’t easy to come by, but I persisted. Landing an interview was even more elusive. Then I found a company that was as eager to have me join them as I was!

The New Normal

Three months into my new role, I’m still settling in and getting more comfortable everyday. I absolutely love working from home and ditching the daily commute I previously had. I’m learning more about the magic of Power BI and its positive impact on the lives and businesses of our clients. My son hasn’t returned to school physically so I continue to look forward to the day when that happens. It’s still a struggle to balance work and motherhood right now. JT has always had a hard time fitting into the classroom so expecting him to interact appropriately via a laptop isn’t ideal.

I’m loving my new role as a copywriter and I’m really thankful for my new company. I finally feel respected and valued in my position. This is a team where I have great potential for growth because they also continue to grow with success. I smile much more often and have far fewer headaches and migraines than I did only a few months ago. My life has truly changed for the better virtually overnight. Most importantly, my relationship with JT is better than it’s ever been. This past year has really brought us closer and I’ve been so grateful for the forced proximity – something I would have never imagined to be true!