 Many of the mothers I coach find it’s themselves who are blocking their own dreams and ambitions. Some assume that what they want out of life is beyond their reach now that they have children. Others think they don’t deserve to go for it, or that they should put their families’ needs and desires before their own.
One way I help the women I work with overcome these blocks and start thinking bigger about what they want and what they can achieve in their career after becoming a mother, is by asking them to create a vision of how they would like their life to be within the next one to three years, depending on the time frame that works for them.
1 Comment
 From finding new boundaries to building your support network, here are my top tips on successfully preparing to go back to work after having a family.
Find the 'working you' again Remember you are still the same talented and competent professional woman you were before you became a mother and you will quickly get back into the swing of things.  It can be tough working out what to do about the gap on your CV between employers if you’ve been on maternity leave or staying at home to raise a family. Do you explain the gap, hide it or ignore it? Here's the advice I give to my Clients when faced with this challenge:
1. Be bold You don’t have to apologise for taking time out for maternity leave, or staying at home with the kids. You have nothing to hide, so be bold and confidently mention the time you have taken out of work on your application documents whilst describing your eagerness to jump back into the workforce. You don’t have to make a big feature of your career break, something along these lines included in your cover letter or Career Summary/ Professional Profile at the top of your CV should do the trick: “Eager and fully ready to transition back into the workforce after taking time off to raise a family”.  There are only eight weeks to go until the end of the year, but there's no need to panic! It's not over until it's over and there's still plenty of time to hit your most important career or business goals.
Here are my top tips to help keep you motivated and on track: 1. I Can And I will. Watch me! Believing that you are capable of achieving the goals you have set for yourself may be the single most important thing you can do when setting out to achieve your goals. After all, if you don’t believe in yourself, who else will? 2. Remind yourself of the reasons why you want to achieve your goals. Knowing this will allow you to put your all into every step you take.  As a business consultant and coach, I often get asked questions about the process of setting up a business in Germany. There is no road map to starting up - every business is unique - but there are some questions many startup business mums share.
Here are the 12 questions I most frequently get asked...  Getting back into the working world following a career break is definitely not easy but it is achievable and with enough preparation and determination, you will find a fulfilling role that enables both you and your family to be at your best.
 For many mothers, the thought of going back to work after spending time at home focusing on the family is a daunting prospect. And particularly so if you are wanting to try something new, something more closely aligned with your post-baby identity, values and life priorities, something you would really, really love to do.
So how do you figure out what it is that will bring you alive, and how to make the change happen?  Like you, I fear a few things.
I fear being a 39-year-old stay-at-home dad while my buddies talk about stock options, mortgages and pension plans. I fear returning to an office job because being a stay-at-home dad has been such great experience that I think I’d just stare at the walls and miss my kids. I fear the place we’ll be posted next will be a war-torn hellhole and my days will be divided into making dinners and digging bomb shelters. I fear I’ll never write that book. I fear it’ll suck if I do. I fear environmental collapse, the reduction of the honey bee population, that my ball team will never win, and that I’m going to suffer some rare brain disease and end up chasing my neighbour’s cat around the yard thinking it’s Winston Churchill. And that’s just Monday.  Have you got big dreams for next year? Have you decided that you’re going to go full speed ahead with your business and make it your best year yet? A New Year means new beginnings, fresh opportunities and the world at your feet.
And yet… Dreaming about success is one thing. Making it happen is quite another. Learn how to properly prepare for success next year to turn those pipe dreams into reality.  If you’re finding it difficult to take the first step to starting your own business, or embarking on a new career, you’re certainly not alone.
However much we want to introduce change into our lives, fears and doubts can stop us in our tracks. We pay attention to the voices in our head that can try to sabotage any move we make towards trying something new. We tell ourselves “I don’t have enough money”. “It’s too big a risk”. “I don’t have the right skills and knowledge”. “Now is not the right time”. “My children will suffer”. Over time, these thoughts become our reality, and we find ourselves stuck in the same place wondering why we haven’t made any progress. |
Here on the blog we offer insights and tips that will empower you to create a career and life that works for you wherever you are in your parenting journey.
Categories
|
Work Happy Mums: For women whose career and family counts.
|
Member of:
|
Contact us, we'd love to hear from you!
|
Subscribe to our newsletter
|
Work Happy Mums operates under the Career Development Institute Code of Ethics.