The idea of returning to the paid workforce after an extended (or even a short) maternity break can be intimidating and scary.

Sometimes, it is hard to know where to start, especially if you are looking to change industries or roles. Here are a few ways to get the ball rolling.

Get The Foundations In Place

1. Tell your partner and family what you are thinking of. They will need to step up when you return to work, so let them know that’s where you are heading and the time scale you are imagining. You will need a support crew, so time to start recruiting them.

2. Set some work hours aside. Maybe you are able to set aside three or four hours daily, or maybe it’s just one morning a week. This needs to go into your schedule as ‘work’ time. It is non-negotiable and it is not to be used for household errands.

3. Speaking of schedules – time to get one. Do you work best on paper, or is your phone always by your side? I can’t live without my Google calendar, so that’s my scheduling tool of choice. Find yours.

4. Exercise. Find something you are interested in – be it a yoga class, a running habit, a personal trainer. Find your ‘thing’ and get it on the schedule at least a couple of times a week. What’s your best time of day for it? The fitter you are, the more energy you have to get stuff done – and on the flip side, the less you do, the less you can do. Start an upward spiral of good energy.

5. Eat well. Eat for good, day-long energy. Eat a protein-rich breakfast. Snack well. Get prepared with a meal plan, find a supermarket delivery service. Forget about juice cleanses or low-carb diets. Eat a well-balanced diet and save alcohol for the weekends.

6. Sleep well. Stop staying up late watching Netflix. Choose one night a week that you ‘indulge’. For the rest of the week, go to bed at 9pm with a good book.

7. Go to the doctor. How long since your last mole check, pap smear or dentist appointment? Schedule them in for the next six months. Nagging issues? See a specialist. Things like hormone issues (a common problem for women) can have long-term consequences if left undiagnosed.

Get Curious

8. Take some time to get to know yourself. Assess your strength and weaknesses, think about what qualities really shone when you last worked, what qualities got you through your time as a stay-at-home mum. What kind of things do you love doing and what kind of things do you really not enjoy? This will help later with creating a formal resume and LinkedIn profile, and it will start you thinking about what would actually work for you.

9. Network. It isn’t as bad as it sounds. It’s really about getting out, making new connections and letting the world know that you are open to new possibilities. Take some time to think about how you are going to introduce yourself and don’t be ashamed of having time off work. Using phrases like “I am a Project Manager, looking to return to work after a few years off. I’m taking some time to explore new roles or industries to move into”. There is nothing wrong with telling people that! In fact, if the people you meet know that you are looking for a new role, it opens the door for the chance that they have a gap in their company. Networking is about making connections – take the time to find out about other people, hear their story. Many women have experienced returning to work after a maternity break, find out about their experience. Find out if their company allowed them a part-time re-entry, for example.

10. Ask questions. Get curious. Find out how people got their job. Was it word of mouth or through a listing? Look at online learning options and new careers. Go to events that are outside your comfort zone. Find a conference or festival in your interest area and fly there for two days and meet as many people as you can. Keep an open mind.

Take Action

11. Start a meetup group for women thinking of going back to work and put it out on Facebook. Invite a circle of women to share stories and experiences and ideas. There is great power in a community of women working together.

12. Get some fantastic new headshots taken to mark the beginning of a new stage for you. Also to use on your LinkedIn – and your new company’s website!

13. Update your LinkedIn profile and ask for recommendations from past colleagues. Remember the new skills you have gained while being at home and don’t be scared of being transparent about listing your career break on your profile. Write a short summary of the break and include the skills you learned during that time. Most importantly, make sure you also mention any volunteer jobs you had or non-professional accomplishments. Mention that you are looking forward to returning to a challenging and exciting role.

14. Go one step further and create a personal website. This is especially relevant if you are looking to return as a freelancer, consultant or coach. Websites like flavors.me can be helpful for this.

15. Give generously. Donate your time to a charity, help others connect, be kind and generous. Make sure this is kept within your boundaries and on your terms. Don’t be a pushover.

16. Be bold. Let go of that critic inside who will only hold you back. Step out and take action. Our biggest growth and learning happens when we feel uncomfortable and push outside our normal boundaries.

17. Enquire about our three-month return-to-work program, Catalyst. Small groups of women finding growth, courage, and community together on their journey re-entering the workforce.

Visit Woolf Works page to find out more about the Coworking space.

_{This post was first published on Michaela Anchan's blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.
Edited by Nedda Chaplin} 

Image Credit: Working together is so fun! Cheerful young beautiful business woman looking at her baby girl with smile while sitting at her working place from Shutterstock

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