Can mums go back to work with confidence?

I went a little bit quiet on my blog for a few days. I hit a bit of a blogging block. A friend from my antenatal club died – she was only 31. She had breast cancer which then spread to her liver and spine. Very sad. To think she’s left two gorgeous children and a wonderful husband. I just found for a few days I couldn’t write. Another friend from the same antenatal club expressed my thoughts and feelings so beautifully: The fragility of life. Briefly that day I flicked through other blogs on breast cancer. I wanted to share the important message about checking your breasts. But somehow I just got stuck.

So today’s the today that I get back on the blogging wagon. Thanks to Sarah Arrow’s 30 day blogging challenge. It’s never too late to start again.

What have I been up to in the meantime? I spend a lot of my talking to mums. In the last couple of weeks, as I prepare the modules for my Back to Work with Confidence, I have been asking mums about their biggest challenges and worries when they go back to work.

Some of the mums I have talked to are already back in work; others are thinking about it. It seems the biggest challenges are:

• self-confidence: can I still do the job? is my knowledge rusty? will an employer have faith in my abilities? how much do I need to update my skills?
• guilt: how will I manage leaving my baby with a stranger? what if she doesn’t love me when I get home? am I being selfish going back to work?
• skills: rewriting CV, interview skills, how to network, negotiating skills, selling or presenting myself
• work-family balance: finding a job to fit around children/school hours, coping on days when your child is sick, knowing you HAVE to leave the office on time, understanding flexible working rights
• self-care: being super-organised, efficient with time
• childcare: the cost and logistics

So what about you? Are these the challenges that you face? Are you stuck on how to move forward? Want to share your concerns with somebody, then book a 15 minute clarity call to get you started.

Can mums go back to work with confidence? Yes absolutely I believe you can. I have done it, so can you. It’s simply a matter of getting clarity on what you want, rebuilding your self-confidence, polishing off your CV, updating your skills, and focussing on what’s most important to you. And when I say “it’s simply a matter of …”, I do appreciate that it can be tough. You can do it by yourself, I know you can because I did. But do you know what, it’s so much easier if you get some help. Get the real-life experience of somebody who’s been there and helped other mums too.