Tips on Transitioning Back to Work with Young Kids & a Side Hustle

Maternity leave is a time to connect with your baby. It’s a time to adapt to a new member joining the family and to enjoy all the little moments life has to offer. Experienced mamas know maternity leave is far from a walk in the park. Just when mama gets into the swing of things, baby’s routine quickly changes, a regression happens, and soon enough mamas are faced with another reality, transitioning back to work.

During maternity leave it’s not uncommon for mothers to take up a side hobby. Maybe you learnt a new craft, developed a new skill, started sharing cooking recipes, or began a little side business. Now you are faced with the ticking clock and the return to work is closer than ever. It’s common to experience overwhelming and anxious emotions when your maternity leave is coming to an end. Perhaps you have low confidence about returning to work and fear not managing it all.

I’ve been there!

It’s important to validate these feelings as they are so common. I have spoken to many mamas who have experienced similar feelings surrounding returning to work. Often mothers switch rolls, locations, choose to work from home, or decide not to go back to their 9-5 at all. It’s important to acknowledge mothers are doing what’s best for their family and we always will make the best decisions for us. If you are heading back into the workforce, I want to help validate your feeling and ensure you are more equipped for your transition, while bringing out that boss mama inside. Let’s get excited to return back to work, if you have decided to return of course!

If you are in Canada, you likely stepped away for 12 months or more from your career. Systems have changed, coworkers have come and gone, and you are about to transition back into something that may be drastically different than the role you left.

From my personal experience, taking nearly two back-to-back maternity leaves and being out of the workplace for almost three years, I had my concerns. I was well aware there were new systems, new team members, and new procedures I would be expected to learn. Oh, not to mention learn all this remotely from home while juggling mom life and pandemic life.

To top it all off, I started my side hustles, Unstoppable Mama & Unstoppable Prints Co. Add that into the mix and I undoubtedly have a full plate. While transitioning back into the workforce, mamas are faced with the shockingly realization that we will have to simultaneously manage our full time career, side hustle, and family duties.

I want to help mamas returning to work after a maternity leave. If you started a side gig and are wondering how the heck you will survive, listen up!

Tip 1 - Not Everything Needs to be Done ASAP

This is the most important tip, and yet the most challenging. If you are like me, when I get an order for my side business I want to have it fulfilled as soon as possible. I want my customers to not only be impressed with my excellent customer service, but I want them to experience the joy that goes into each one of my pieces and for them to smile when they see it.

I am the first to admit not working on orders as soon as they arrive is challenging but it started with me setting timelines for when orders will be completed by, and not rushing to get them done sooner.

Prints can wait, emails can wait, DM’s can wait, but prepping dinner and feeding my children cannot. It’s important to remember these priorities and be comfortable with the work “to-do” list piling up. Not everything needs to be done today. Let me repeat that…Not Everything Needs To Be Done TODAY!

Tip 2 - It’s OK to be assertive

Many women fear being assertive. They fear how it would be perceived and how that would affect their relationships. It’s important to remember, you can be assertive while still being kind and respectful.

Mothers need to stand up and communicate their needs. Let your employer know your situation, your expectations, your boundaries, and let them know how they can help (which leads me to my next tip.)

Tip 3 - Ask for Help

Asking for help doesn’t make you a failure. It means you are recognizing not everything can be done by you, nor should it be! Times of mamas doing it all are of the past. Traditional roles that moms do all the cooking and cleaning is next to impossible to uphold.
Do not be scared to ask your team for help if you are getting behind or need further explanation regarding a specific task. Delegate tasks to those who may have a lighter workload and have open communication with your team.
If you need a hand around the house it’s also important not to forget your number one team member, your partner or children! If I get behind on house tasks or for my print shop, my husband is right there willing to lend a helping hand. I also turn chores into games for the kids often, hopefully soon they don’t catch on.

Tip 5 - Flexibility is Key

It’s 2022! Employers are coming around and recognizing that flexibility is so important, sometimes more valuable than that promotion or raise you have been longing for. This rings especially true for mothers. If you want to have flexible hours or even reduced works hours, have that conversation. If you need to coordinate your working day around daycare pickups, be upfront on what will work best for your family.

Pandemic life has opened the door for many employers to come around and see productivity can be achieved while working remotely.

While it’s important for your employer to be flexible, it is also equally for you to be flexible. If you planned on completing small business orders one day but ended up having a busy day, sick child, or whatever the case may be, be flexible with your schedule.

Remember, it’s better to work 100% at your best than push though exhausted or overwhelmed.

Tip 6 - Manage Expectations, for Yourself & Your Team

Now you may be wondering what I mean by managing your expectations. Transitioning back to work with a side business and family isn’t easy. If you need to increase your delivery times, cut back on certain orders or minimize the amount of blog posts or emails you are pumping out, know that is OK.

If you are only able to complete one small task today, that’s one step closer to your goal. It may take you longer but if you are managing those expectations and not expecting to have the task completed as soon as possible, you will feel better about the timeline.

Tip 7 - Take Breaks

Taking breaks every day is something I strive to do consistently, even while I was on maternity leave. Running my blog and side business I rather take daily breaks than get burnt out and take a whole month off.

What I find works best is setting times in your schedule for your breaks. Time blocking is KEY! If you are entitled to an hour lunch, take it. Want a 15 minute break, take it! You will be more productive upon your return than you would be pushing through and being in a mental fog. Breaks help reduce stress, enhances your creativity, boosts your performance, and most importantly improves your mental and physical health. Breaks are proved to have a positive impact on your immune system, so take advantage of them and do not feel guilty.

Taking breaks away from social media and your electronics is also important. It’s the way of the world to constantly be connected, but remember, in order to fully rest your body and mind you need this time.

Tip 8 - Acknowledge Burnout

Burnout happens. Even if you were following all the tips and performing all the right steps. Do not feel like you are a failure for experiencing burnout. If anything it’s the opposite, you should be proud you have recognized this state and didn’t continue down the negative hill.

Tip 9 - Set those boundaries

I know I know, everyone is talking about boundaries these days I almost want to do an eyeroll myself, but the truth is, its so important to establish good boundaries in both your professional and personal life. Professional boundaries may be things like like not checking work emails on your phone, not working evenings or weekends, taking proper breaks and lunches, not taking on additional tasks if your workload is heavy, etc etc. Personal boundaries, especially ones with your children, may be more difficult to establish, especially when the lines are often blurred and you have demanding children. But I encourage you, set things which are a priority and are non-negotiable. Take that shower alone, and remember you need rest just as much as anyone else, so take the downtime you deserve.

It’s okay to have boundaries with children and clearly communicate your needs. If you have a separate office you don’t want them running in, explain how they need to knock first (this can work for the bathroom too!)

Remember, saying no is healthy.

I hope these tips help you transition into the workforce and be a little more prepared. Working and having a career separate from motherhood is important for many mothers. It allows us to have our own identity, contribute financially to our household, and be that successful role model for our children. Having a side passion in addition to it all can also be great, filling our creative outlet and bringing a different kind of joy into our lives.

Now if you decided to not return to work and decided to be home with your family, know you are equally amazing and as hard working.