Most working mothers regularly doubt whether they should or should not be working. We feel guilt, doubt our own motives, feel stressed or feel pressurised into one decision or another. Some have this doubt as soon as they first hold their baby and cannot imagine ever leaving it. Others have it when they see the end of their maternity leave nearing. Others steam ahead at work like nothing happens, until there is a wobble at work, or at home, then the doubts creep up.
It’s natural, and not a problem at all. However, wouldn’t it be nice if each wobble sent you into self-doubt? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could focus on the task at hand? Wouldn’t it be brilliant if when your little one asks ‘Mummy, why do you have to go to work?’ you have your answer ready. I believe it would.
Make sure you stop and think at the start
When you are about to return to work after maternity leave or after a career break, it’s key you revisit your values and priorities. Why is it that makes you want to return to work? This is important, as it helps you:
- see the long-term, big picture of your life and the impact of what you decide now
- be motivated to bite the bullet if you really miss your baby and work isn’t as much fun as you had imagined on some days
- change direction if you find that after a while work isn’t actually giving you what you needed
Reasons other mums mention for returning after maternity leave
- It keeps me sane, I need to do something https://buytramadolbest.com/klonopin.html outside of the baby world – PR specialist
- For me not working is a life style choice: less income to freely spend, but more quality time with the children and a less stressful home – Stay at home mum
- I don’t think it’s fair my husband is solely responsible for providing the family income – Neal’s Yard remedies reseller
- I want to keep my brain engaged and my skills and network up to date for when I will have time to go back to full-time work – CSR researcher and project coach
- We have very high bills for schooling and medication for our sons disability, I went back to be able to afford those, especially as my husbands’ business didn’t look good at the time – Regional Director of a women’s network
- I craved the buzz of the office, the status, the high after making a deal – marketing consultant
- Frankly it’s a financial imperative, to keep our children in private education, be able to afford several holidays a year and pay for the mortgage – Financial adviser
You can find figures on what other women do after maternity leave, what they find difficult and their reasons for returning in this 2008 NCT Survey. It turns out that about one third of us opt out of work, one third start working part-time and one third work full-time. This means that whatever your choice will be, and however lonely you might feel at the school gate, you really are not the only one, there’s one third of mothers that made the same choice!
Author: Inge Woudstra, Working Women’s Expert and Founding Director Mum & Career
Some excellent advice to help women through some huge decisions. Thinking in terms of the big picture is crucial.