Your returning to work after maternity/parental leave and your new parent anxiety is at a new high. Not only are you leaving your little bundle at nursery/childminder/grandparents, your going to be mixing with people. Real people. Not Mr Bloom and the Teletubbies. Actual real people!
You'll go from changing tables to office tables and back from water-cooler chat to making bottles.
Keep calm when returning to the office with my top tips.
Set boundaries!
At home - You are going to have days where you'll need your partner to muck in. Some days not everything will get done and that's OK. Set yourself boundaries and limits even at home to avoid overstretching yourself and burning out.
In the office - Whether you're going back full-time or part-time its highly likely you will need to alter your working life. No more 7am starts or 8pm finishes. Get everyone round the table before you return and be clear of what you can and can't do.
Plan!
At home - A diary, and possibly a calendar too, are essential when staying on top of things. Appointments, working days, childcare arrangements and overtime can all be noted down and kept track of with ease.
In the office - Plan out your day using your Outlook calendar. Meetings, tasks and duties can all be set as regular reminds to make sure you don't miss anything.
Clothes!
At home - Layout yours and your little ones outfits the night before, include all accessories and underwear to save rummaging in drawers.
In the office - Hang your coat on the back of your chair, keep your bag and keys at the side or on your desk in case you have a baby/childcare related emergency and have to dash off. You don't want to be looking for your belongings in a hurry!
Keep it clear!
At home - Anybody with a child knows that everywhere can't be kept tidy 100% of the time but try and keep your morning path clear of obstacles to avoid any trip ups, falls or walking on Lego related injuries to a minimum.
In the office - Keep your desk and other office furniture as neat and tidy as possible, especially if its shared. Utilise your tray stack for separating work, instead of spreading it over the desk. Have a pot for pens so you always have one to hand. If you job share consider asking for separate drawers so you can keep your notes, files and folders separate to each other and off the desk. If you're employer uses hot desks consider having a work bag that you keep separate from your personal stuff and keep it by your backdoor or in the boot of your car.
Most importantly, take a deep breath and enjoy the ride of being a working parent!
Mummy Snowy Owl
xx
Being organised is the one of the best thing that you can do in any area whether it is work place or home. It helps you a lot and saves lot of time. Thanks for sharing this.
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