Are you a working mom? If so, chances are pretty good that you are experiencing a bit of guilt about that fact.

Would it make you feel better to know that you are not alone? In fact, a recent survey shows that out of mother’s working full time only around 10 percent do not feel guilty about it.

And when it comes to part-time working mothers, about a quarter, or 24 percent, of moms do not feel guilty about working part-time outside the home.

So, what does the guilt mean and what can you do about it?

First you need to see if the guilt is trying to tell you something. At times, guilt can be a warning that you need to make some changes in your life. Maybe the guilt is caused by the fact that your job is too stressful. Or maybe you are not happy with the daycare center you are using. Or maybe it is something else entirely.

Once you are able to discover that the root cause of that guilt is then you are able to work towards making positive changes. And then you will start to see that guilt that you are feeling to dissipate a bit.

Ask yourself why you are working.

If you are feeling guilt about working you need to examine your reasons for working. Are you working because you have to for financial reasons? Are you working because you actually enjoy your job? Are you afraid that you would be miserable as a stay at home parent?

Whatever the reasons you should sit down and list them out for yourself. Once you see the reasons on paper you will be able to reassure yourself that you are doing the right thing, or you can work on making changes in your life, and then you will be able to let go of your guilt.

Is your guilt caused by someone else?

In examining the reason for your guilt it is important to be able to distinguish where the guilt is coming from. Is your guilt a product of your own creation? Or is your guilt actually stemming from another person? If another person is causing you to feel the guilt then it is best to not have people like that in your life.

Let go of your guilt

Once you have discovered the source of your guilt, you can set about working on getting rid of that guilt. It may be something that you can change overnight or ir might be something that takes a bit longer. If that is the case, be sure to implement a plan that works on helping you to get into a position where you can let go of your guilt and regain a bit of family balance.

It is also important to remember that if you do choose to work or have to work then you will miss out on a few things with your kids. It is just not possible to completely balance work with all of the special moments with your kids.

Also know that there are plenty of parents out there that successfully balance out working with raising a family. And that means that you can too.