Mama life: Returning back to work – my top tips

Returning to work from maternity leave is HARD! Putting those amazing, baby filled days behind you and getting back into the swing of the daily grind is a big adjustment, no matter how long you have off. Once you have a baby, your life changes dramatically, mostly for the better, but there’s no denying that there are hard parts too. I took almost 15 months off work on maternity leave with my daughter and I really was so indecisive about whether to go back. I enjoyed my job and the team I worked with, and let’s be honest, in the world of having kids, sometimes being able to take some time for yourself (even if that is at work) is actually a welcome break!

So last year I went back to work thinking everything would be exactly like it was before I went off…I couldn’t have been more wrong. There were the usual team changes, and office politics as well as the daily battle with the nursery drop off (the guilt you feel when you leave them screaming breaks your heart, but it does get better, fairly quickly, I promise). I also really struggled with my commute as this has changed due to bad  train lines and a nursery drop off. Within one month of being back, I wanted to quit, but having had many conversations with other mums, my husband, friends and colleagues, I decided to stick with it. I enjoy what I do and I have the luxury of working 3 days a week so I personally feel like I have a good balance. My daughter also now loves nursery (finally!), and I get some time to myself to get dressed up and engage myself with like-minded people.

So, in amongst all this, I wanted to share some tips that I have learned, and wish I had known before going back to work . For all you mums out there that are thinking about going back to work – you’ll be great, good luck!

Lisa xoxo

My top tips:

• Flexible working. Speak to your manager and HR team about your flexible working options as far in advance as you can. The open dialogue with them will mean you are kept up to date with any team changes and announcements. In the UK, you can use up to 10 KIT (keeping in touch days) prior to your return from maternity leave. Make the most of them, it’s a great way to get a sense of what is going on

• Get to grips with your commute. I can’t emphasise this enough. Especially if you’re doing a nursery drop off/pick up, or changing your travel route prior to what it was when you went on maternity leave. Quite often the nursery/nanny drop off will add at least 15 minutes onto your journey so do a few dry runs before you start.

• Find some mum friends at work. This is a MUST! A lot of companies will have a ‘parents network’ so check out what is available to you.  To have those people who you can have lunch with and moan/generally chat with will make you feel completely normal again on those really bad days, and also the really good ones too.

• Get some home help. Yes I know this is a luxury. But every little thing really does help in this department. Invest in a cleaner if you can afford it and ask her to do the washing in addition to usual stuff. I would also recommend getting a cooking subscription to something like Mindful Chef or Hello Fresh. These literally saved my life on week days!

• Commuting shoes. Get something that is comfortable. If you’re anything like me (and I think a lot of other working mums), you will spend your life running to and from train stations, taxi’s, meetings, nursery etc. Getting a decent pair of flats is live changing. I’ll do a blog post about these separately as they are such a huge part of my daily life/commute/struggle.

• Make time for yourself. As a mum, this is incredibly hard to do, even more so for working mums. But making some time for yourself is so important for a healthy mind and body. I try to make sure I go do some form of exercise 2-3 times a week, and also my husband has our daughter to himself one morning on a weekend so they can bond together. If you can do something in the morning before/after work, or even for a couple of hours on a weekend you will feel so much better afterwards I promise.

• Work wardrobe. More often than not, this will need a bit of an overhaul. Remember those last months at work in maternity clothes? Can’t find the black trousers or dress that you owned before you were even pregnant? Yup, I’ve been there. Your body also changes A LOT when you’ve had a baby. Invest in some key pieces that you can rotate in your wardrobe and plan your outfits in advance if you can. I will write-up a separate post on wardrobe essentials as this as it has been a game changer for me.

• Mum guilt. Do not think for one second that you can do all of this without feeling guilty. Either about not being with your child, or for not working enough hours. This is totally normal. Every working mum (and those that don’t work too) feels the same. You just can’t win, and it will be a constant battle with your mind, but you will get through it. There will be good days, and there will be bad, but in the end, it all balances out. Just remember that for your child, you are enough no matter how much you do, they love you as you are, you are the world to them no matter how many hours you spend with them. Just enjoy it and make every one count.