Working mothers strive to strike a balance between having the kind of job they enjoy and being the kind of mother they want to be. If you’re one, you know th struggle between not just feeling bad about disappointing your team, your boss, or your children; you also feel guilty about taking care of yourself, regret not doing more to support your ageing parents, or embarrassed when you admit how stressed you are as if you don’t have a right to feel this way.

But there’s no reason why you should feel any of these things.

How to overcome the working mom guilt?

When something causes you to feel guilty about being a working mother, this is referred to as working mom guilt. Here are 3 tips to get rid of it:

1. Set reminders

You need to take care of your profession, home, kids, and yourself too. Since you’re so busy, it’s no surprise that working mom guilt can knock you out. It’s time to organize things. Find a technique to schedule reminders to ensure that nothing slips your memory. Consider setting up a few repeating reminders on your phone to serve as a reminder that the field trip is tomorrow. If you use a fun planner, checking your schedule each day will become a habit.

2. Set boundaries

You should be aware that some people will always make you feel guilty—this is a common scene in the homes of working mothers. Many a  times the family refuses to cooperate, and guilt sets in. Your mother-in-law continues to mock you with stories from “back in her day” and how well she managed the family. Your neighbor is giving you stiff competition by making you feel guilty all the time by asking how your daughter can stay at daycare until 6 PM.

Also read: Feeling the working mom burnout? Know the warning signs and how to fix it

To deal with these kinds of things, we recommend that you start avoiding these conversations. When you leave your house, give your neighbour a friendly wave instead of a long conversation. Remember, it is not about actually avoiding these incidents but this is about you choosing to cut the conversation short, which can give them a better idea of a boundary that they shouldn’t cross.

3. Know that you are lucky

It might feel like everything is going wrong and that you cannot manage your work and your children. It does happen, instead look at it the other way; you’re fortunate to have a family.

Your lifestyle is one that many women would adore. Express your gratitude. Recognize how fortunate you are to be able to experience this gift by taking a step back.