The First Month of Getting Back To Work
Once you get back to work after having a baby, adhering to last-minute deadlines at work or home will soon be a thing of the past. It will only require some intelligent and diligent planning to ensure smooth functioning of the family even with the arrival of the demanding young member. Friends, family, colleagues, support system all of these will play a very crucial role in coming together to steer that tight ship successfully.
Once the little one enters our life, it is easy to get completely swept away with just the day-to-day chores, and in such a time thinking of getting back to work can be a daunting task. Getting back to work after a baby demands great detailing and planning, for almost upto a month, before you begin. Here’s a quick view into it, before we step into the first month.
- Who will take care of the baby when you are away at work; nanny or family? In either case, you will have to give them at least a week to get used to it, so that you are still around and able to rush in if the need be.
- Do you have a support system around the home?
- How many hours of work will you begin with?
Tips for Getting Back to Work
This little guide should be a good start point as you step back into work after delivery.
Plan, Plan, & Plan
One cannot plan enough in such matters. What’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Who will pick up the groceries? Who will put out the laundry and then fold it up? There are a gazillion things we would have taken for granted when we were just two; but now each of these become a task to be factored into the time when the little one is asleep or playing contentedly.
The Optimal Refrigerator
This doesn’t mean having a refrigerator full of eatables, at all times. Instead, it means having little mixes ready that can be pulled out and cooked into a quick curry or base when you have no energy left for an elaborate dinner (as elaborate as can be at the end of a tiring day and an energetic baby!). Ensure you have enough ingredients to stir a quick fix in case of an emergency such as the little one being too cranky in the morning or evening.
Weekends
It is the time when you can catch up on all the chores that couldn’t be completed during the week such as veggie shopping, grocery shopping, laundry, etc. Laziness or procrastination is a luxury a parent can ill-afford.
Workdays
Make sure you have a schedule for the day at work neatly chalked out in conjunction with your team. Be sure to stick to your own deadlines so that you are in a position to demand the same from others. Prioritise with the rest of the team so that no deadlines or important work is missed out. Build the team so that they can function even in your absence with absolute confidence. Also, keep them in the loop on any exigencies, and your resultant inability to make it to the work.
Working in tandem
During this time, it is best that both partners work in tandem to arrive at the best possible balance so that each is able to work in office and home without stressing themselves out too much. Swap duties once a week so that boredom does not set in, and you appreciate the efforts of the others at the same time.
Get as much rest as you can. Stick to bed timelines – 10pm should be 10pm. Conserve your energy – you never know when you’ll need a sudden burst. The points above are as relevant for the husband as they are for the wife. Unless she has the support of each and every person at home, it is very difficult for a woman to get back to a satisfying work life after delivery.
