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Can you believe that it’s been one year since the world has been hit by COVID-19? It’s almost unimaginable that a virus shut the whole world down and made such a significant impact on our lives. Words and objects that were unheard of became a part of our everyday conversation. Social distancing, sanitizing, and face masks became the norm, and going outdoors wasn’t an option anymore. It changed the way we all looked at our lives and brought in a lot of unanticipated stress. Especially for moms who juggle between work, mommy duties, and household chores, the pandemic was an overwhelming turn of events.
As a working mother, I found it exceptionally difficult to balance my children, work deadlines, and other duties. I always worked from home and managed to do most of the chores. But things were different because my husband and kids were away for most of the day. I could organize and prioritize in a way that suits my schedule, and by the time they get home from school and work, I would have finished the household chores and my office work.
The evening would be a good time for me to spend with my family and enjoy it. I would even look forward to that family time. However, ever since the pandemic, things have not been the same. My family is always around, and they constantly need me. It frustrates me that I have to be at their beck and call, which leaves me with no time for myself.
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It would have been a different story if the transition happened slowly. But it didn’t. On a random morning, schools declared that they would adopt distance learning, and my kids were stuck at home. The shift was drastic, and it took me a long time to adjust to it. I probably still haven’t fully recovered from it, and I think that it’s completely natural. Let me tell you why.
I never got a break from being a mother or a wife. When my kids spent their days in school, I had the space to step into my working woman shoes and rock that life. I didn’t have a mountain of worries about my kids. They were safe, happy, and learning in school. But after the pandemic, everything piled up, and my duties increased manifold.
Apart from worrying about balancing home life and work life, moms are also forced to think about financial management, our kids’ emotional and physical well-being, and the family’s happiness. But what about us? I was busy looking after everyone around me except myself. All I wanted to do was relax, forget about my responsibilities and do nothing all day. Somedays, it was quite hard to keep myself from feeling annoyed and burned out.
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I wanted a break, and I know I deserved one. To be honest, we all do. Every mom who puts her family first and forgets about her own needs deserves a break. Because it’s a thankless job that receives no appreciation, it can get exhausting and overwhelming quickly. I pushed myself to do better, and some days I didn’t want to anymore.
It’s not uncommon for moms to take a lot on their plate and struggle with it. Sometimes, it takes a village to raise a family, but a mother fills in everyone else’s roles and raises the family by shouldering most of the responsibility. While it’s heroic, it’s not great for our mental health, and it takes a long time to feel normal again. I, for one, haven’t fully pulled through it and still feel the aftermath of my stress taking a toll on my mental health, and it’s okay if you are too. We’ll get through this together.
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