I have no 5 step process to make this better.
I was reminded yesterday how traumatic job loss is and that it is one of the most stressful experiences you will face after death and divorce. In this time of Covid, it is especially hard. I approached the 1st 90 days as a sabbatical, always a dream of mine — a time to reflect, learn and give back. But now, I am struggling to lean into this time of transition with gratitude and opportunity. Instead, there are days when I feel lost and unproductive. In my optimism, it turns out I skipped over the grieving part.
Why are we obsessed with this idea of productivity??
We are addicted to outcomes. For many of us, we’ve been in the center of the action for a long time. We are used to leading teams and making decisions all day long. We are used to making things happen.
It’s strange to have empty inboxes and clear calendars in front of us.
Covid already brought many changes to how we work and live and it’s been a huge transition. We are grieving the loss of community, purpose, accomplishment, identity and sense of self. We’ve lost some of our confidence as well. It takes years to build relationships, credibility and confidence but not long to lose it.
Our identity as working moms started to shift when we all started working from home in March and is shifting again as we are now NOT working from home. We are negotiating new family dynamics and figuring out new ways to be. We are learning that we need more LIFE in the work-life balance equation and have new perspective on boundaries around work.
Many of us are taking this time to explore new careers and finding new communities to inspire us. I know the workplace is not better with so many talented women on the sidelines. There is so much work to do to build more inclusive workplaces and we need women to make that a reality.
