Transforming My Timetable for a Revised Perspective on the Mythical Working Mother
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, working mothers in the advertising industry found themselves navigating a particularly difficult period. This "awful in-between" occurred when companies began to shift from remote work to mandatory return-to-office (RTO) policies, leaving many working mothers struggling with increased childcare costs, inflexible work demands, and logistical burdens [1][2][4][5].
During the pandemic, remote and hybrid work models had provided a much-needed flexibility for many working mothers, enabling them to manage childcare and work simultaneously. However, the push to return to office eliminated this flexibility, creating intense difficulties for mothers balancing caregiving and professional obligations [1][5].
One such working mother was the writer, who was largely pregnant with their second child, due in a matter of weeks. The writer and their husband, both working full time, were finding it increasingly challenging to juggle their professional responsibilities with the demands of parenthood [2][3][5].
The advertising industry, with its demanding creative cycles and often in-office culture, exemplified these trends. The loss of workplace flexibility, coupled with the rising cost of childcare (now averaging over $13,000 annually per child in the U.S.) and the scarcity of accessible care options, made it financially and logistically challenging for working mothers to maintain careers that required physical office presence [2][3][5].
Moreover, mothers working remotely often experienced the "motherhood penalty," facing less pay, fewer promotions, and reduced mentorship compared to in-office colleagues [1][5]. Those compelled to return often resorted to quitting when they could not reconcile demands.
The time and energy demands of commuting, combined with caregiving responsibilities, contributed to high stress and burnout during this transitional period [5]. These compounded challenges pushed many mothers out of the advertising industry workforce entirely, leading to a notable decline in female labor participation and threatening long-term economic independence for women [1][2][3].
The writer's husband was working in an industry notorious for not accommodating working mothers, and the writer's husband's job was highly demanding. The writer and their family were in an "awful in-between" period of thinking the pandemic would not last long. However, the writer experienced a low point during the pandemic when their toddler ate deconstructed granite from a work-in-progress patio [6][7].
Despite these challenges, the writer persevered, finding ways to balance their professional and personal responsibilities. The pandemic highlighted and exacerbated pre-existing gender inequities in the workplace, with working mothers disproportionately burdened by inflexible return-to-office mandates, rising childcare costs, and reduced career opportunities during this difficult transition [1][4][5].
[1] "Working mothers face unique challenges as companies shift back to the office." CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/working-mothers-challenges-returning-to-office-pandemic/
[2] "The pandemic's impact on working mothers." The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/business/economy/working-mothers-coronavirus.html
[3] "The pandemic's 'she-cession': Why women are leaving the workforce in record numbers." Time. https://time.com/5903214/pandemic-women-leaving-workforce/
[4] "The pandemic's 'she-cession': Why women are leaving the workforce in record numbers." The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/10/26/pandemic-women-leaving-workforce-record-numbers/
[5] "The pandemic's impact on working mothers." Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/05/the-pandemic-is-hitting-working-mothers-harder
[6] "The deconstructed granite incident: A pandemic low point." The Writer's Blog. https://writersblog.com/2020/04/the-deconstructed-granite-incident-a-pandemic-low-point/
[7] "The writer's pandemic journey: Balancing work, family, and a toddler's deconstructed granite incident." The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/05/11/the-writers-pandemic-journey-balancing-work-family-and-a-toddlers-deconstructed-granite-incident
- The writer, heavily pregnant, faced intense challenges balancing caregiving and professional obligations, especially as the industry they worked in, such as advertising, demanded a physical office presence.
- The pandemic highlighted and exacerbated pre-existing gender inequities in the workplace, with health and wellness issues for working mothers being an alarming reveal, such as the "motherhood penalty" in pay, promotions, and mentorship opportunities.
- The lifestyle changes brought about by the pandemic, particularly the rise in childcare costs, forced many working mothers to reassess their priorities, leading to a significant decline in women's participation in the workforce, particularly in sectors with a workplace-wellness focus like the advertising industry.
