Being a Dietitian: Work Resentment vs Mom Guilt
Here is something I've really struggled with since returning to work as a Renal Dietitian after the birth of my son: work resentment. I've found that a lot of articles I've come across use the term "mom guilt," but I don't think that term adequately describes what I'm struggling with.
Mom guilt is feeling like you're failing to love and nurture your family because you're giving that time and energy to your career instead. I think I'd be feeling more of this if I loved the work I was doing. Work resentment, on the other hand, is feeling like you're giving time and energy to your career that you'd rather be giving to your family. See the difference?
I feel like I'm constantly fighting a losing battle. I should be doing my work--rounding on patients, doing assessments, charting progress notes-- but instead I'm thinking about my baby. It's not because I'm worried about him, I love our daycare and know that he is well taken care of and happy when he's there, but I can't help but wish I was there with him. I resent the fact that I now have two jobs to juggle all day long, but I don't have the time or energy to do them both effectively.
The solution I seem to keep coming back to is "find a job that you love." I think that's really part of the reason I started this blog. It feels like a way for me to combine my love of my family with the love I have for being a dietitian. Because I really do love being a dietitian. I get a lot of satisfaction helping my patients navigate the nutrition world. That's the thing that made me really enjoy being a renal dietitian in the first place--nutrition plays such an important role in managing kidney disease, but so much of the information isn't common knowledge. It's not like weight loss, where people know all the basic principles and just need help being accountable for it. But that is a whole other post entirely.
For now, let's just leave this at I am struggling with work resentment. I hope I'm not the only one. Anyone else out there struggle with something similar? Have any suggestions for how to get through it? Comment and let me know.
Mom guilt is feeling like you're failing to love and nurture your family because you're giving that time and energy to your career instead. I think I'd be feeling more of this if I loved the work I was doing. Work resentment, on the other hand, is feeling like you're giving time and energy to your career that you'd rather be giving to your family. See the difference?
I feel like I'm constantly fighting a losing battle. I should be doing my work--rounding on patients, doing assessments, charting progress notes-- but instead I'm thinking about my baby. It's not because I'm worried about him, I love our daycare and know that he is well taken care of and happy when he's there, but I can't help but wish I was there with him. I resent the fact that I now have two jobs to juggle all day long, but I don't have the time or energy to do them both effectively.
The solution I seem to keep coming back to is "find a job that you love." I think that's really part of the reason I started this blog. It feels like a way for me to combine my love of my family with the love I have for being a dietitian. Because I really do love being a dietitian. I get a lot of satisfaction helping my patients navigate the nutrition world. That's the thing that made me really enjoy being a renal dietitian in the first place--nutrition plays such an important role in managing kidney disease, but so much of the information isn't common knowledge. It's not like weight loss, where people know all the basic principles and just need help being accountable for it. But that is a whole other post entirely.
For now, let's just leave this at I am struggling with work resentment. I hope I'm not the only one. Anyone else out there struggle with something similar? Have any suggestions for how to get through it? Comment and let me know.
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