Just got back from paternity leave and I'm drowning

3w ago·1 min read

So I took 4 weeks off when my second son was born and it was amazing but now I'm back at work for 2 days and I feel like I'm failing at everything. My boss already piled on three projects, my inbox has 200+ emails, and I'm trying to be present at home but I'm exhausted by 8pm. My wife asked me to help with bedtime tonight and I literally fell asleep standing up. How do you guys manage coming back? Does it get easier or do I just need to accept being a zombie for the next few months?

3 comments173 views

Comments(3)

PPedroRegular2w ago

Dude, those first two weeks back hit different. I remember coming back after my second and suddenly I'm in meetings all day then getting home to a screaming baby and a wife who's exhausted. Pro tip: lower your expectations at work for the first month. Nobody's going to judge you for not being at 100% when you literally haven't slept.

RRexRegular2w ago

Welcome back to the chaos! Seriously though, hang in there. The good news is by week 3 you'll find your rhythm. The hard part is accepting that work pace and dad pace are different things and that's okay.

DDanielRegular2w ago

The adjustment is rough but it gets easier fast. What helped me was blocking my calendar for the first hour of the day and the last hour before I pick up the kids. That buffer time makes a huge difference in not feeling like you're constantly getting pulled in different directions.