This is the second part of my two part series on the things that I wish I knew when I returned to work from maternity leave.
- I learned to use my commute to mentally transition between my different ‘worlds’ so that I could (try to) arrive in a calm state of mind when I collected George at daycare. I did my best to leave the busy day and the office behind and really be present with him.
- I became a productivity ninja. I was able to get dressed, put on my make-up, dress George and read him a story, throw down a coffee and reply to a text message from a friend…all within 30 minutes
- I outsourced as much I could and asked for help when I needed it, like occasionally getting the drycleaner to iron my work clothes (or Mum, thanks Mum!) and once a month we got a cleaner. I recommend outsourcing the one thing that annoys you the most or is the most tiring, annoyance-inducing thing. It may be the cleaning, getting your child’s birthday cake made, or getting someone else to iron your silk shirts.
- You and your partner become a dream team. My husband Peter and I supported each other, hugged each other when it got too much and thankfully he didn’t mind when I fell asleep on the couch before ‘date night’ had officially started
- Time became a precious commodity. I learned how to value my time and made sure others did too. I had to learn how to refill my cup to give me energy and stamina, and also ring fence my time when I was tired or starting to feel worn out.
