Congratulations on a new baby! I bet your baby is the cutest baby ever. I’m sure you would never want to leave him or her. I’m sure you wish you could just stay home to take  care of your baby and watch him/her grow up. You wouldn’t want to miss his first steps or her first words. No parent would.

But alas, there’s baby food to buy and bills to pay. You want to stay home longer but you really can’t afford not to go back to work. Remind yourself that this is for yourself and for your family. Your career is important but your family will always be top priority. So, when your maternity leave is almost up, you would have to start weaning yourself off being a full time mom and start getting ready to get yourself back into the workforce.

Transitioning back to work:

Before you return to work, there are some arrangements you need to make. Childcare is the most important one. Set this up before you go back to work so that you can be sure that your child has time to settle into childcare arrangements. You have to set this up before returning to work full time. This is way, you get to see how your child is being cared for before you leave your baby in someone else’s care and you get to allow for adjustments and make alternative arrangements.

Don’t rely on just one child care arrangement. Always have a backup plan. One day, an emergency might come up and your babysitter or nanny couldn’t make it to work, or the childcare facility could be closed due to unforeseeable circumstances. You must have a backup plan in place so that you’re not left scrambling at the last minute.

At work:

Talk to your boss, supervisor, or manager about work flexibility. Make sure you communicate to your boss that you still intend to remain an active contributor to the success of the company but also communicate to your boss that you are now just as committed to keeping your work and family life balanced. Your boss has to know that you are serious about making your new situation work.

No one wants to stay at work longer than what is required. Avoid pulling overtime or late nights at work by managing our time well. Do your work on time and do it well. Manage your schedule so that you bite  the bullet first. Meaning, tackle the harder tasks first. That way, the rest of the day is easier to manage.

Do not be afraid to ask for help. You will find that many people are happy to help when you ask for it. When times get tough and you feel overwhelmed, your spouse, your family, your friends, will be there to help. Explain your predicament and always try to repay them for the huge favor. Although you will find that  most of the time, no repayment is required.

Carve out ME time whenever you can. Remember that you can’t be good at BOTH your jobs if you’re depleted, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Rest when you can, and fit in as much time for yourself as you can. Unplug from your computer and enjoy a long bath, take the baby to granny’s and do some zumba, or get a babysitter and go on a date with your spouse.

I’m a hundred percent sure you have baby photos in your phone, right now. I’m sure you miss your kid so much. How about printing them out and arranging a couple of frames on display on your workstation. That way, you can bring a piece of home to work and you get to remember what all this is all about everyday.

What other tips do you have for moms transitioning back from maternity leave? Share your tips in the comments. As always, remember to: Stay Humble, Hustle Hard. Good luck!

Written by Jaie O.- The Help