Returning to Work in 7 Easy Steps

Here’s what you need, and I’m honestly not trying to be funny here.

Tissues, lots of them. If you’ve been on Maternity leave, that means you have a newish tiny person, and leaving them is HARD.

Here’s what I know;

Leaving your child for the first time to go back to work, whether is childcare, with a grandparent, heck even with your partner if you can swing it that way. Leaving, in general to step out of your mum shoes sucks.

A few things you need to know.

You’re gonna cry,

Your tiny person is definitely gonna cry (unless you’re my first born who literally gave zero F’s about me leaving, which only made me cry more).

Be prepared.

Wear the waterproof mascara.

Prepare for the ugly crying – where you try and hold it in like a fucking warrior and end up red blotchy and little bit swollen, and if you’re super lucky like me, you also will experience some red blotchy, swollen crying snot.

Next step;

IF you can afford to (money, time and leave permitting) take a day or two to practice this so you can do the goodbye and get to work because you know which mascara really IS waterproof and how many minutes it takes for your blotchy redness to calm the farm down.

Step three;

Scrap what I just said. This is the real deal’, you’re going back to work. You’ve left your tiny person, and now you get ‘first day back to work anxiety/guilt’. Here’s where you need the tissues.

Step four;

Organise a catch up with your work bestie for a coffee/tea (NOT wine) before you step into the office. You’ll need it, they can fill you in on the latest office goss. You can also give them the heads up that you may need a cuddle because leaving your tiny person is HARD. (my work bestie has done this for me 3 times now. Thank you MJ, you’re amazing).

Step five;

Turn your brain on. Yes. WE all joke about mum brain etc. But when was the last time you read some news, and newspaper even. Actual news. Not a Facebook article about ‘how to babyled weaning in 5 days’. Some real like, factual news? Now it’s really, REALLY important here that you don’t, I repeat DO NOT read a news article that involves a child or children and a tragedy. This wont help you in anyway and you just don’t need that on your mind first thing in the morning.

Step six;

Gather your thoughts, check your mascara, make your phone call to the child care centre, grandparent, whom ever. Just to check in (and secretly make sure your tiny person is missing you, but also totally okay).

Step seven;

Fabulous!

You’ve dropped your tiny person off.

You’ve allowed enough time for blotchy red crying to calm done.

You’ve had a coffee/tea (remember no wine yet).

You’ve read a news article.

You’ve checked in, and everything was okay.

You, girlfriend, are ready to adult today.

You got this!!