Returning to work after my mat leave felt like a battle with time as I wished for it to slow down (please stop growing up so quickly!) and speed up (only one more hour until my hubby is home!) all at once. Like most life transitions, it was rife with mixed emotions.
But just like there isn?t a manual for how to do mat leave, there isn?t one for how to end it either. Returning to work when your mind and body are still adjusting to the new normal of being a parent can feel overwhelming, stressful and exciting all at once. My heart ached at the thought of leaving my daughter for five days a week after having 15 months together (and just when it was starting to feel easier, too). At the same time, I love my career and wanted to go back to work. It was a constant push and pull. But the onus on re-entering work successfully shouldn?t rest solely on a new parent?s sleep-deprived shoulders. Organizations have a responsibility to foster respectful and equitable work environments with flexible hours, private pumping rooms, job-sharing options and subsidized child care. Although some companies are on the ball when it comes to supporting new parents, many still need to catch up. And for those who are self-employed, the transition can feel especially daunting when the onus really does seem to rest largely on you.
Assuming that you?ve already got child care lined up (which can often be harder to secure than tickets to Hamilton), here are some tips to help with the transition back to tha...