In a work-focused society, it’s hard to take time off. You might feel guilty and think you should be at work. That guilt is even likely to pop up if you have a good reason for taking off, such as caring for your family. What can you do about these feelings of guilt when your family needs you? Here is how to overcome feelings of guilt while taking off to care for your family.

Guilt When Not Working 

It’s understandable to experience fear and anxiety due to taking off from work, regardless of the reason. Your sense of guilt may have many components, such as: 

• Feeling like you’re failing to meet your productivity goals 
• Feeling like you’re letting down your co-workers, management and employer 
• Hearing internalized voices that have taught you that not working means you’re lazy, a failure, or some other negative descriptor 
• Feeling like anything you accomplish away from work is not as crucial as work accomplishments 

How to Manage the Feelings of Guilt 

Life has aspects other than work that require your time, including your family. It’s essential to manage guilt to focus on these other priorities. Here are some ways to grapple with guilt: 

• Shift Your Perspective: Recognize that your family is a high priority and they also deserve your time. Aim to change how you think about your life, priorities, and expectations. 
• Feel Productive: Create goals to achieve with your family so you have things to work toward and can experience accomplishments. 
• Change Your Thinking About Goals: Realize and accept that everything won’t always get done. Focus on the process and think of the many steps you have accomplished. 
• Be Understanding: Have compassion for yourself and your family, recognizing that you are human, and life often gets in the way of work – it’s a part of life.