Returning to Work After Maternity Leave: Why It Feels So Hard and What to Do About It

You don't have to be a mother to understand this — but if you are, or if you 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲, this one matters.

Imagine being away for months (𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚) — growing and nurturing an entire human being — and then walking back through the office door to find that 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 has shifted.

✦ The 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 has changed.

✦ The 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 tools and processes have evolved.

✦ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 have moved.

✦ 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 have been made.

And the quiet expectation?

That you simply open your laptop and 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳.

Here's what most organisations still don't understand: the person who left is not the same person who comes back.

Becoming a parent CHANGES you — your priorities, your perspective, sometimes even the way you see your entire career.

That doesn't make you less committed, less capable, or less ambitious. It makes you someone who has just experienced 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.

Returning to work after parental leave is not just a logistical transition. It is an identity one. And reactivating someone's laptop access and adding them back to meetings is 𝙣𝙤𝙩 a return-to-work plan. It is the 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 dressed up as support.

Every parent returning to work deserves to be met where they are now — not expected to show up as who they were before. That shouldn't be a privilege. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

Have you experienced this yourself, or witnessed it happen to someone you work with? I'd love to hear your story in the comments 💛

Truly,
Trish

📗✨ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 & 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬

➳ Career Change / Career Comeback Coaching With Me: www.trishandco.com/services
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