How Im Learning to Banish The Mommy Guilt Too Many Working Moms Struggle With

How Im Learning to Banish The Mommy Guilt Too Many Working Moms Struggle With Marlowe Merritts morning bung sounds like that of many working moms. Her daughter, Aiyla, wakes zu sich up early, she and her husband make coffee as they juggle bottle time, and then they drop her daughter off at daycare before heading into work. But once Merritt is at Merritt says the company offers the flexibility, supportive culture and mission-based experience thats missing at many technology companies. And those things combined have helped her avoid mommy guilt, grow her career and abflug to figure out the whole parenting thing.Beyond working at GameChanger, we asked Merritt about how she sets boundaries between work life and mom life, how she and her husband split responsibilities, and how she keeps her me time on a busy schedule. She also shared her best tip for new moms who are learning to juggle it all.How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?I have been at Ga meChanger almost four months. Before starting here, I was at 1stdibs.com.Whats your pre-work morning wissen like?Typically, Aiyla, my daughter. She wakes us up around 530 or 600 a.m., all smiley. And then Im like, OK, its fine to be up, even if Im still tired.We get to play a little. My husband and I trade off on who watches her while we get ready and make coffee. We have a good routine to make sure we get to do some things for ourselves, like showering or going to the gym. Then, one of us drops her off at daycare. If I do drop off, then I drop her off on my walk to the PATH train, always hoping I didnt forget anything for me or her Packing the night before gives me less to think about in the morning.Why do you think your company is a particularly great place to be a working mom?I would definitely say the flexibility. I really like how the culture is based on doing your work on your own time. Theres a real trust factor. Its really a choice whether or not you want to come in early o r stay late, as long as youre making sure your work gets done.Also, everyone is very supportive. Theres a whole group of parents with young kids, and that makes me feel comfortable. We even have a slack channel gckidsandbabiesHow do you feel like your job has helped complement your function as a parent?I like having my me-time at work. I enjoy feeling productive and producing something that matters, then coming back home. Ultimately, working while parenting has helped me prioritize my time and learn balance.How has your role as a mom made you a better employee?Its helped me understand priorities and meet deadlines. I know Im here to work and that I have an obligation at home to get back to.Whats your go-to stress-relief activity or routine?Exercising. I use ClassPass, because its unpredictable when I can work out and with the ClassPass program, I can change up my workouts. I like spin classes and boxing. Boxing is a great stress reliever. I should probably do more yoga, but I like t o sweat. I also love just walking around the city.What kinds of boundaries to you follow (if any) to separate work and family time?Im still new here, so theres a lot of things Im learning (and excited to learn about). As a result, I always want to keep working. When I go home, I make sure thats family time. I try to get everything done while Im in the office and not to bring work home. I make lots of checklists.What are you especially good at as a mom? What about at work?As a mom, I think Im just going with the flow right now. Ive learned that there will always be mom guilt, but Im appreciating being a working mom and knowing Aiyla is in good hands during the day. Im always excited to see her when I get home and we have our weekends together. I cherish the moments we have. I think Im naturally nurturing, though I honestly questioned if I would be. I was nervous around babies before and I would always think I didnt know how to hold them, but now its very natural.At work, Im good at c ollaborating. I appreciate hearing peoples feedback and having constructive conversations. And as far as design goes, I like seeing all different perspectives. Talking to users and seeing results from users is exciting to me.Whats your No. 1 tip for new moms who are navigating the delicate balance of working and mothering?Set your boundaries and set realistic boundaries. Try not to feel guilty as hard as it can be, especially starting out. Youre more than just a mom.Whats your favorite part of your workday (or your favorite aspect of your job)?I really love working here because of the community aspect of it all. I like what we stand for as a company. Its exciting to hear from users and get positive reinforcement of why were doing this. It makes me feel validated.What do you love most about your company?The people are great. Everyone is down to earth and smart and theres no real ich here. The culture is empowering and autonomous. Theres camaraderie and people are passionate about wh at theyre working on. Were all in it together and you can feel that. And, of course, I love the market were working for. Im happy to be working to better youth sports, the kids and communities.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with GameChanger.Find a job there today