Practical Tips For A Smooth Transition when returning to work after baby.
Leaving the bubble of maternity leave and returning to work can be an exciting and overwhelming time filled with a host of mixed emotions.
Ø Gearing Up For the First Day
In the weeks leading up to D-day, consider visiting work for a lunch catch up to get back into the swing of things. Start tuning back into work related news so you can commence switching your brain back into gear. Trial your childcare arrangements so bubs and you get used to the idea. This can be a biggy for many women, so do whatever you need to gain comfort with your arrangements. Be thorough – never assume your carer knows anything specific to your childs routine.
Spend some time reviewing your wardrobe. Dust off the workwear and remember your body has changed (and maybe the fashion!), so hit the shops to stock up if required. Doing this on the morning of your first day back can lead to disaster.
Ø Don’t Be Afraid To Outsource
There’s no doubt you could do it all, but to avoid burnout and keep a happy balance at home, don’t hesitate to outsource what you can (without guilt!). Cleaning, ironing, some cooking can all be outsourced to reduce your overall load. Online grocery shopping is a gem NOT to be overlooked!
Ø Leaving The House On Time
Do all of your prep work the night before. Lay yours and bubs clothes out, pack both of your bags, and make your lunch. Sleep is precious and mornings fly, so you need to be as efficient as possible and out the door on time.
Ø Food Glorious Food
Great nutrition is essential to see you surviving your new routine, so never skip brecky and have some simple lunch options available. Keep some breakfast supplies at work if appropriate, master the art of the precooked chicken salad, or find a trusty café that provides healthy fast tucker. If you’ve not been a meal planner before, consider giving it a go. Having a 5 day meal plan with groceries delivered on a Monday night is a great way to set up a healthy working week.
Ø Be Prepared For A Readjustment Period
It can be normal to resent being at work initially. How can whatever you are working on be more important than your beautiful bub? Guilt can easily creep in for either leaving your child, or for (gasp) loving being back at work and in the adult world. Refocusing on work can take time. Some workplaces and industries move fast and you may feel out of touch with new strategies and techniques. Ask your manager to give you a good ‘reintroduction’ session, or handover from whoever was your replacement, so that you are brought up to speed. It’s very common for women to lose total confidence after having been away – so be patient with yourself, and gain confidence from the fact that you not only have all of your prior skills and experience, but you also now have an entirely new set of skills that can assist you with efficiency, resourcefulness and patience!
Ø Reassert Yourself
People have gotten used to working without you and there may be new people at work. Don’t be offended if they are going to other people now for answers. They need to readjust to you being back. Take time to meet with everyone, or at least say a quick hello, so that people know you are back on deck and ready to work. Your career objectives may have changed. If you now want less responsibility at work, manage your workload accordingly and don’t be afraid to say no to additional requests that might impact your family life. Conversely, if you are driven to advance, make this known with appropriate words and actions. Regardless of your personal career objectives, always work hard and with integrity.
Ø Find Time To Surrender
You will amaze yourself with newfound efficiency that allows you to leave work on time to return to your bub. However once home, your work day doesn’t end. You likely have another few hours on duty, then are ‘on call’ all night. ‘Downtime’ can be hard to come by. Find acts of surrender that enable you to recharge; exercise, meditation, date night, reading a book or having a long hot bath. Neglecting your personal health and wellbeing needs will catch up with you. Schedule things in and ask for support so that you can be cared for too.
Authors Box
Fiona Trewhitt is a mother of three young children (in four years…yikes!) and is passionate about inspiring women to live healthier, happier lives, particularly during pregnancy and early motherhood. Fiona is a Life and Wellness Coach and developer of the Mumafit iPhone app designed to assist women be active and healthy during these exciting phases of their lives. You can catch more of Fiona’s ramblings on her blog www.mumafit.com.au or daily on Facebook and Instagram @mumafit.
