The Treadmill
The thing I have found most challenging returning to my job after Maternity Leave, specifically from a work perspective, is the time constraints. I have always been someone who works best when I have large expanses of time ahead of me and I struggle to fit bits of work in and around multiple meetings. Before having a child I found the time from about 5 o’clock onwards really productive. As the office slowly became quieter and emptier I could spend a few hours really getting into a piece of work totally uninterrupted.
My working day is now often bookended by dropping off or picking up my daughter from nursey as well as bath and bedtime (in conjunction with my husband who admittedly takes on a huge amount of this responsibility). I so enjoy being able to spend time with my daughter and whenever possible I rush home from the office for some quality time with her. This has a concertina effect on my working day which I must admit I find challenging. I miss feeling fully in control at work and having the space to do whatever I need to do – little did I know how luxurious this was at the time!
A friend of mine who has only ever had bosses who are also mothers told me how impressively efficient they have all been. He said that in his experience they have had a no nonsense approach, make quick decisions and don’t place value on face time. I try my level best to embody this but I definitely haven’t cracked it yet. I always have a feeling of – there is no time to waste – and yet sometimes I just don’t have the energy to be at my 100% most efficient. I feel slightly like I’m on a treadmill that is going just a bit too fast for my feet.
There is also a difference between me and many of my colleagues who have a spouse at home full time. I have no option but to come in late if my daughter needs her MMR booster. I have to leave for pick up if my husband has a work event that evening. And sometimes I even spend my evenings doing arts and crafts like making my daughter a shamrock out of recycled materials for a St Patrick’s Day display at nursery, much to my team and family’s hilarity as I don’t have a creative bone in my body!
I do worry about the impression I give to my colleagues being one of the first out of the door some evenings and I wonder if people’s perceptions of me have changed. I have always counted myself as diligent but ultimately there is more to my life now than work and socialising - the lines have been redrawn. I have to rely on the fact that my work will speak for itself and hold my head up as I leave to pick up my daughter knowing that if needs be I am always able to work in the evening to catch up (when not making shamrocks/daffodils etc).
I must say I have not experienced any negativity around my new working hours and have only felt supported by my colleagues. I know I am lucky to have a great team in place and to have the flexibility in my role to be able to do pick up at all! A lot of people who have no option but to be in the office late into the night which must be very challenging indeed.
It is important to say that there have also come opportunities with the changes since my daughter was born. I would urge women to think about their return from maternity leave as a moment to refresh their role if possible. Before going on leave you have to hand over all of the tasks and roles that you currently do. If you can – make sure you only take back the ones where you really add value. I took the opportunity to move some clients on to other people that made more sense. I also had a few legacy tasks that I had done for years and this was a sensible time to train up someone more junior to take that on full time. Finally you come back with a clean slate and in catching up on what you have missed you have the chance to ask all the questions you perhaps should have asked before you left.
Whatever your situation there are going to be different challenges and opportunities depending on your role, company and your working style. I think that over the course of going on leave and returning I would urge women, where possible, to ask for what you want - uncomfortable though it may be. Although the treadmill may be going a bit too quickly, you may able to refine your role in some way meaning that despite the challenges you may find an opportunity or two – don’t pass them up.