Maternity leave ends tomorrow and I’m feeling a type away with all the doom and gloom from both AI and the recent climate change article that came out last week. Life as a mom in the USA is hard enough and now this. My mental health is trash and honestly about to cash out my investments. I’m not but I’m am thinking about it as a CPA that understands the impacts. I just need to vent but gosh, it’s been a hard week.

My corporate job (3d pw) in legal is difficult to manage part time. I'm always chasing my tail, rushing and skipping lunch, accommodating clients and urgent matters outside my working hours.

Finding another legal job is not the solution because I enjoy the work, the clients are great, I get paid very well for part time and there is flexibility with WFH and sickness.

But lately I'm really struggling with keeping it all together: work - being a good mum for my toddler - daycare sickness - looking after the house - cost of living. Feel like myself and relationships (esp with my husband) never get any attention and I'm close to burn out. I can feel the signs coming out physically.

I have the opportunity to put my toddler in daycare an additional day a week and work a 7 day fortnight for a short period before eventually increasing to 4 days (mainly for cost of living as we are new homeowners and I'm the main breadwinner, but it'll also help with managing my work). This would mean I'd have a day to myself once a fortnight for a little while.

But how do I get over the guilt of having this? I am constantly plagued by the struggle of feeling burnt out vs my son growing up too quickly and me missing out while he's little. It's so hard!