Are
you one of those Mums, who said goodbye to your
colleagues and left work with your bump, convinced
that you would be back, raring to go in a few
months’ time? But now that your
bump has turned into a soft, warm little bundle
with huge eyes and tiny hands and feet, you’ve
become more protective than you could have thought
possible, and you don’t know how you can
bring yourself to leave such a precious little
person. Part of you, though, wants to get back
to work for the intellectual stimulation and the
social side, not to mention the money. You also
don’t want your career and skills to stagnate,
and above all, you want to get back to work for
a rest!
Or
do you know that you have to go back to work for
the money, but you’re worried that your
current job is not going to be flexible enough
to let you combine work with motherhood in a way
that’s best for you? You’re afraid
that you won’t cope with your job and a
baby, or a baby and an older child, and you want
to consider all your options.
And
do you wonder what others will think of you, ‘abandoning’
your baby as they might see it? Are there
subtle pressures on you from friends, in-laws,
your own mother, or even your partner, to stay
at home and be a ‘proper’ mother?
All
this is going on at a time when you’re
dealing with a huge upheaval in your life,
your hormones haven’t got back to normal,
and you’re overwhelmed at times by everything
that comes with being a new mother. Even if
you already have an older child, things are
different the second, (or even third) time around
and the challenges that a second child brings
seem more than double.
If
you identify with this, consider how it would
be if you could have someone alongside you to
help you think straight. Someone with
no agenda, other than yours, who’s there
to help you make the decision that’s right
for you, with no judgements. Imagine what it
would be like to step out of overwhelm and muddled
thoughts and calmly consider what you really
want to do. To be confident that you’ve
considered all your options and you’ve
found a way back to work that’s best for
you and best for your baby. How reassuring would
it be to have support in sorting out all the
practical arrangements involved in returning
to work, as well as in the emotional roller
coaster that goes with it? This is how the Maternity
Returner programme could help you.
The
Programme in Brief
The
Maternity Returner programme is flexible
in helping you to deal with the issues that
matter most to you. Its main aim
is for you to be confident that it’s
right for you to go back to work, and for
you to find the right balance between work
and caring for your family. Typically the
programme will cover the following areas,
but only if you feel they are relevant to
your situation:
•
Getting clear about what you want out
of work
• Exploring your options for returning
to work
• Coping with the emotions around
leaving your baby
• Negotiating with your employer
• Managing your transition back
to work
• Finding the right childcare
• Organising your life
If
you decide that you want to find a new career
direction, the Career Changer programme
can be dovetailed in. Click
here for details.
How
it Works
The
Maternity Returner programme usually
runs over 2 to 3 months. Face-to-face or
‘phone sessions help you to explore
the issues facing you and help you map out
your best route to returning to work. The
programme can continue to support you after
you have returned to work, if you choose.
Here’s
how it works:
Sessions
normally last from 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
You
choose the frequency of sessions, although
weekly or fortnightly sessions are best
to help you make progress quickly.
The
investment for the programme is:
Premium
Rate:
£400
per month for face-to-face sessions
£300
per month for ‘phone sessions
Includes
unlimited e-mail support between sessions
£300
per month for face-to-face sessions
£200
per month for ‘phone session
Now
that you know more about my services, click
here to see what my clients say about
working with WorkLife Balance Solutions.
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