5 Tips For Returning To Work After Parental Leave
Returning to work after parental leave is a big deal! There are so many emotions, logistics, challenges and expectations to contend with and regardless of how you feel about work, you’re going to have more on your plate than before. So here are some top tips for coping with the transition.
1. Be kind to yourself
For me, the return to work journey started during a coffee with friends from my antenatal group. Someone innocently asked if anyone had thought about going back to work, and…well, we spiralled! Will you ask for some flexibility? What’s the childcare plan? Have you spoken to your boss? Will you miss your baby or enjoy the freedom?
Cue panic!!!!
The return to work, not being around your baby all day every day, is one of the biggest transitions you will have to deal with as a parent and probably the first of its kind. Take a moment to appreciate all that you and your baby have achieved and acknowledge any feelings that come your way. Think of it as moving from one exciting chapter to another. Using relaxation techniques and positive affirmations is a great way to help you through this.
2. Talk!
You might have played around with some ideas of how you want to organise your life when you return to work, but it’s so common for this to change frequently, or for you and your partner to have different ideas. So talk about it. Make a list of the most important things you want to achieve from childcare, both from a practical perspective, but also taking into account your child’s needs. Talk this through with any other family members that might be getting involved with your childcare. Get your facts straight, for instance how much annual leave have you accrued, what is your budget, is there any Government support available? From this, you will see a plan emerge and with everybody on the same page, you can make it happen!
3. Run drills
I know this sounds ridiculous, but it may have been a while since you needed to get out of the house with both the baby and yourself in a vaguely ordered fashion by a certain time. And if this is your first child, you haven’t had to factor childcare drop off into your commute before. So work out how long the childcare drop off takes and how much time you’re going to need to factor in to make your entry back into work as calm as possible. This probably means including the usual buffer time for unpredictable nappy changes, toddler tantrums or being unable to find your keys! It will help you to feel in control on your first morning back, regardless of how sleep deprived and emotional you really are and in time this new routine will get easier.
4. Stagger your return
Many employers will be able to accommodate a staggered return to work. Use annual leave or unpaid leave to return to work on a reduced basis to begin with. Maybe a couple of days rather than full time for the first couple of weeks. This will mean you aren’t spending so long away from your baby all at once and offers a period of adjustment.
5. Remember the positives!
I won’t forget the first time I stepped off the train on my first day back at work. No pram or paraphernalia, I was wearing clean clothes and drinking a hot coffee. It felt strange, but it was also so liberating! I was ready to remember who I was before I had my baby and take all the wisdom that motherhood had brought into my new start at my old job. My colleagues were excited to see me and incredibly supportive in bringing me up to speed with all that had progressed in the last year (plus the office gossip, wow!). At first, every trip to the loo was accompanied by a quick phone call to nursery to check the baby was OK, but I grew in confidence as time passed and looked forward to pick up. Time with my little boy became even more precious and I found it easier to be more present when with him, focusing on quality time and being engaged in his world.
Above all, remember that there will be days where things don’t go to plan and on these days don’t be too hard on yourself. Like we said at the beginning, you simply have more priorities now than you did before. Remember to take time for some simple self care, be it an evening walk, a bath or a guided meditation.
We hope this helps all the parents out there who are mulling over their own return to work at the moment and we wish you all the best in the next chapter of your parenting journey - you’ve got this!
