Stepping back into a working role post maternity leave, or after time away spent raising your family can be daunting. Many working mothers fear that they are not going to be as good of a parent, or as good at their job as they were pre-children when they go back to pursue their career. However once you’ve mastered the juggling act of doing both (and don’t worry, you’re totally able), you’ll hopefully feel fulfilled in each aspect of your life, and probably very tired at the end of each week.
Be Present
Whether you’ve just stepped foot in the office, or through the front door at home; you need to be present in that environment and learn to switch off from the other one. Obviously, you never stop being a parent; but worrying all day at work about what your kids are doing, wearing, or eating, isn’t going to help make you a productive member of your work team. Use your lunch break or free time at work to make a quick call or text to see how things are going at home, nursery, or school if you need to, to give yourself peace of mind. It’s then important to be able to switch off from total mom-mode, in order to get on with your working day.
The same goes for when you’ve arrived home after working; make sure your kids don’t feel your stresses from the working day and be in the moment with them for dinner, bath, and bed times. Just because you’ve gone back to work, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the everyday special moments together as a family. But, bringing a pile of work home physically or mentally, will have a negative impact on your mood, which will filter down to your kids. If need be, leave any work outside, in the Volkswagen, and retrieve it after the kids are asleep. Nobody said this juggling act would be easy, but it’s achievable and worth the effort in the long run for you and your family.
Make The Most Of Your Free Time
“What free time?!” you might say. But, there will be free time in the evenings, weekends and holidays, and if you make the most of them; you’ll begin to notice and appreciate your free time even more. When you’re out of the office space, and you and the family have some time together; make plans. You don’t have to spend a fortune dragging everyone around a theme park (this is still an option though); family walks, adventures, and picnics are all enjoyable ways to hang out together, make memories, and won’t cost a fortune.
If you do feel like spending some of your hard-earned salary on treating your loved ones, then planning a vacation together is something everyone can look forward to. On the run up to your getaway, part of your free time in the evenings can be spent with your partner and kids making plans on what you want to do once you get there, and enjoying the countdown. For some ideas on where to take your little ones on vacation, have a look here: http://www.today.com/parents/16-best-places-go-vacation-baby-or-toddler-t73466.
It’s also important to grab any chance you get to have some alone time, whether it’s to flick through a magazine, or go for a jog before work; if you’re able to, do it! Looking after your needs will factor into your abilities to do your job successfully, and will help keep a happy home life.
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