
Why I Love Being a Working Mum
I always knew that I would be returning to work post Maternity Leave. For me, staying at home permanently simply wasn’t an option. As much as I love my son, I have always been someone that thrives on building a career and need that external interaction.
Though, however much I was looking forward to returning to the office, I still spent a lot of time in the run-up feeling nervous and anxious. A million questions whirred in my head, how would I cope being away from my son? Would my work be impacted by my change in lifestyle? Could I successfully balance work life and home life? These are of course incredibly normal concerns to have when returning from Maternity Leave, but I have been so pleased to find my worries were baseless. Far from detracting from my abilities as a worker, returning to the office has shown me how becoming a mother for me has helped to develop and sharpen my skill set.
Perspective — Whilst I have always been a ‘remain calm’ type of person, I now find I have a much clearer perspective if we hit a problem in the office. Quite simply no one has died and no one should be reacting as if they had. Remaining calm and taking the extra time to assess and consider the issue before reacting means I can work to resolve problems without them being blown out of proportion.
Prioritisation and Multi-tasking — If my son needs something, he needs it now and often his needs conflict directly with other tasks that need to be done at home. Quick prioritisation and the ability to multi-task is key in these situations; having dealt with these demands at home I find I am now faster at dealing with them in the office too. Work can be swiftly prioritised and completed where perhaps in the past there may have been a longer period of procrastination.
Planning — With a child, you have to plan ahead. Gone are the days of leaving the house on a whim for an unplanned day out in the sun with just your phone and keys! The amount of planning involved to complete even the simplest of journeys or to arrange childcare is extensive. Juggling grandparents and nurseries every week, ensuring your child is where they need to be at any given time can be exhausting. In comparison planning the working week feels like a breeze!
Communication — The key to a happy child starts with happy parents and happy parents (in my opinion) always communicate effectively. In all the chaos that comes with having a child you need to communicate with your partner to ensure absolute clarity between you, even the smallest miscommunication can lead to confusion and a downfall in your day. This has also always been true in an office environment; however, I now have an even fuller understanding of how important communication is both internally within teams and externally with our clients.
My Son — Of course my son himself makes me a better worker. They say once you have a child that you live your life for them and in many respects that is true. I want to work harder and achieve more to both provide for him financially and to set a good example for him. I really hope it will help to be more independent and driven in his own life.
None of the above should of course be taken as a criticism of mums or dads who do choose to stay at home, they are honestly incredible people with the patience of saints! It is simply that for me there has been nothing like juggling full-time work and being a parent to teach me how to divide, prioritise, and conquer, and that’s why I love and will continue to love, being a working mum.
Shelley Goff, Client Services Director
Cytec Solutions