New mum returning to work? We’ve got you covered.
It can be difficult to readjust to working life after taking some time out to raise your family. Whether you're returning to the workforce after parental leave or starting fresh in a new career, it's important to give yourself time to find your new normal and set up a support system to help you and your family thrive.
But that can be easier said than done! To offer wisdom on this topic, we spoke to Jo Lawrence, aka The Mum Mentor. Here, she shares five realities for mums returning to work after maternity leave:
1. It can take 3-6 months to find your feet.
You've been used to a certain routine for the past few months, and now you're expected to readjust to life as a working mum. It's important to give yourself time to get used to this new chapter in your life, as returning to work is a process, not a one-off event! Don't be too hard on yourself if things don't fall into place immediately – it can take a few months to find your groove and iron out any glitches.
2. You will have wobbles.
There will be days (or even weeks) when you feel like you're not cut out for this working-mum life. You might question whether you made the right decision in returning to work, and feel guilty for leaving your little one in childcare. These feelings are normal – have a plan in place of who you’re going to call or what you’re going to do to help ride out that wobble. Wobbles are a normal part of adapting to a new way of life and will pass.
3. You won't sweat the small stuff.
One of the benefits of becoming a parent is that you quickly learn not to sweat the small stuff. After dealing with nappies, vomit, and middle of the night wake-ups, dealing with a difficult situation or a stressful project at work will seem like a piece of cake.
4. You will find a new level of appreciation for 'me-time'.
Remember when you used to complain about having 'nothing to do'? I know - we were clueless! Now, you'll treasure any moment you have to yourself. Whether it's going to the supermarket, having a shower or a 10 minute walk, make the most of your alone time to help you refresh and reset.
5. You will have more disagreements with your partner.
This is one reality that no one likes to admit, but it's important to be aware that effective communication really comes into play here. If you’re raising your child with a partner, It's natural for tensions to arise when both parents are working and trying to balance parenting duties. The key is to ensure that you have equal input into deciding the day-to-day household duties, so that disagreements about who should be doing what don’t turn into a competition about who’s had the hardest day.
If you're a mum soon to be re-entering the workforce and would like to feel more positive and prepared for the changes ahead, you can grab my free return to work cheat sheet and work through ten ways to prepare for a healthy work-life-mum blend and a smooth return to work.