The Dilemma of the Corporate Parent: Finding Ways to Overcome Guilt while Managing a Demanding Career
Most of us have watched the heart-touching movie ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ where Will Smith’s character ‘Chris Gardener’ is seen struggling to manage the pressure of his work commitments and parental responsibility towards his son as a single parent. The scene where he is seen rushing for his important meeting after spending some quality time with his son in a subway station has significantly captured the reality of Parental Guilt. This dilemma is not just a crucial point of the movie but a reflection of the actuality most of the working parents experience in the corporate world.
Wondering, what exactly parental guilt is and how it not only affects your professional and home environment but also your overall mental well-being? Well, we have got you and this blog aims to throw light on the same.
Understanding Parental Guilt
Parental guilt takes place from a strong and relentless belief that they are not being enough as a parent and you are essentially not fulfilling expectations of either of your roles as a professional and a parent. This parental guilt tends to get stronger when working parents miss school events, spend more hours at work, or feel that they are not contributing enough of their time to their children. Due to this constant pressure of managing career and family life, many working parents experience guilt to a degree, leading to stress, anxiety, and in most cases burnout.
The Cumbersome Culture of Corporate
Corporate culture has been glamourized for its huge packages and a lavish work lifestyle. With tight deadlines being part of corporate setup, working parents feel the relentless pressure to sacrifice their time reserved for family with constant fear of job security. With working parents finding themselves at a crossroads, where they crave family life and can’t ignore their work commitments.
Amidst this, a very important question puts working parents in a dilemma of how to overcome parental guilt efficiently?
Redefine your Perspective and Set Healthy Boundaries
The primary aspect of dealing with parental guilt effectively is reframing your approach towards professional and family life. It is quite crucial for working parents to understand and accept that their career and family are two key factors that contribute to their identity. As a working parent, conveying these boundaries to your manager and family can foster respect for each other’s time. Healthy boundaries encourage you to focus on your professional commitments when you are at work and be a dedicated parent when it’s family time.
No to Perfectionism, Yes to Compassion!
In this persuasion of being a perfect parent and professional, complications surface, ultimately leading to being critical towards self. So, what can really help is choosing self-compassion over criticism? Instead of being sad about skipping an important deadline, cultivating an approach that motivates you to celebrate your learnings and achievements can be life-changing. Normalizing making mistakes is a part of growth and hence, self-compassion may emerge as a stepping stone to evolution. Instead of seeking perfect parenting, focusing on making your moment perfect with your kids can be a huge takeaway.
Open Communication with Children
Having open communication with your children can play a vital role in reducing parenting guilt. Fostering a strong bond with your child can help working parents create a space, for conveying their thoughts and feelings. Parents sharing their feelings of guilt with their children in an age-appropriate manner can help them understand it is okay to have complex feelings. Remember, parenthood is a two-way journey, where you paint a picture for your child to understand the meaning of every colour.
Prioritizing Self-Care
Self-care is essential for parents to emotionally recharge and approach parenthood with renewed optimism. For working parents, nurturing their own well-being can significantly impact their ability to tackle personal and professional challenges. Engaging in hobbies or taking productive breaks can help alleviate stress and guilt. Remember, prioritizing self-care equips parents to better support their children and manage their work effectively.
Build a Robust Support System
Building a strong support system in the form of parents facing similar situations can be another way of overcoming parental guilt. Today, with the presence of social media and rising awareness of parental guilt, many working parents have come forward to build a community that offers a space to share experiences and solutions. Being a part of such groups can also encourage working parents to vent out their frustrations. Moreover, many organizations have identified the need for resources like counseling and employee assistance programs that can significantly help working parents to overcome guilt.
As this journey of corporate life and parenting is navigated through various complexities, what really matters is understanding that guilt may mark its presence intermittently. By moulding your perspective, defining boundaries, seeking self-compassion, and building a support system can be strong pillars to manage this guilt. It is wise to remind yourself that you are not defined by the important events or targets you miss rather it is more about how you add meaning to your both roles. Just as shown in the movie, Chris Gardener pursuing his dreams while being there selflessly for his child, you can accomplish the same by being more focused on building a deep connection rather than seeking perfection.
Comments