Blake Lively Admits 'Mom Guilt' in Balancing Work and Parenthood

Blake Lively, like many working mothers, often feels overwhelmed when trying to balance her passion for her career and her personal life. She takes her work "very, very seriously," committing fully when she's on set. However, this dedication also brings feelings of guilt. "When you're working," she told Entertainment Tonight, "sometimes you feel guilty for not being in your personal life during those hours you're at work." This is prepared by SSP.

Lively, 36, has been promoting her upcoming film It Ends With Us with costar Jenny Slate, premiering on August 9. Lively and Slate, 42, share a bond over being mothers to young children, offering a sense of grounding in their shared challenges. Lively shares four children with her husband, Ryan Reynolds: daughters James, 9, Inez, 7, and Betty, 4, and son Olin, 1. Slate has a 3-year-old daughter, Ida, with her husband Ben Shattuck.

Balancing this with family time is tricky, an experience shared by many mothers dealing with 'mom guilt'. When discussing this at the interview, Lively spoke to how she and Reynolds maintain family unity by coordinating work schedules so that they do not coincide, allowing them both to prioritize their family life.

Realizing the impact this can have, a survey highlighted that 78% of mothers feel guilt regularly, often comparing themselves with others. Remarkably, this phenomenon is observed among working fathers too, as they also experience similar pangs of guilt according to a Pew Research study.

Despite their busy schedules, Lively and Reynolds strive to keep their family tight-knit, often featuring their children, like in Reynolds' films, eg. Deadpool. Yet, recognizing that her filmography isn’t entirely kid-appropriate, Lively ensures to manage her role carefully.

In addition to her acting career, Lively recently launched a hair-care line, Blake Brown Beauty. She is set to appear in a sequel to her 2018 hit, A Simple Favor, continually balancing her roles as a dedicated professional and a committed mother. In their supportive partnership, she and Reynolds continue to define their roles beyond their illustrious careers, grounded firmly in their personal lives.