Hello everybody. So it’s another morning of getting organised. The mornings are sunnier so if there are any surprise early wake ups I guess it doesn’t feel as bad as getting up in the dark right?! It also gives me more time to get us all sorted although it also means Toddler Munch then expects official play time before we leave the house! So things can change every morning but we get there in the end.

It was great to see and hear how the Lucky Things crew (you guys!) and your pals liked my last blog post on getting us all ready in the morning. Promise that I’ve been trying to do all of the things on my list 😉 So here’s the follow up as 7 wonderful mummies have shared what they’re doing to get ready to head back to work. It’s handy hearing what works for them when balancing a family, a career and their own life.There are some great tips ranging from managing how we feel as working parents to making the most of our tube journey into work. Don’t forget to spot the me-treats too.You’ve got to love all of the practical tips as well as the ones to help us organise our emotions and precious family time. I know I’ll be borrowing lots of these! Enjoy, Lucky Things.

“You know what I find exciting and helpful is deciding on what to wear the night before and hanging it up in the bathroom! I am up before everyone else and so do it so I don’t disturb them all. I like designing my look the night before and it saves me time when I am bleary eyed in the morning after not enough sleep!” Mummy J

“Well I will need to get organised so an hourly planner will be set and (hopefully!) a practice run too beforehand. Hubby and I will need to agree who does what in the mornings to get us both out in time so a practice run will be useful as we may end up tweaking the planner.

Emotionally, I generally feel ok about it as I have good support and I will have 2 days WFH but the guilt does sometimes kick in. When it does, I remind myself that nursery will be good for my baby girl and it will help her develop socially and mentally.

I am also trying to plan what I will do with her on Wednesday afternoons – mummy and baby time! I want to enjoy that time with her and make sure I use it effectively. Putting some thought into that helps me get through the emotionally hard part of going back as it’s something to look forward to.

Also, getting my brain into ‘work mode’ will be tough. I used an excel spreadsheet the other day and it felt so alien so I will probably invest some extra time during my first few weeks at work just to acclimatise.” Mummy F

“To return to work I am getting myself ready by carving out time to myself now so that its habitual by the time I actually go back in two months. So I’ve started attending a weekly yoga class in the evenings and running on a Saturday morning. I’ve also started meditating for 10-15 mins a day. These are things I don’t want to give up no matter how challenging it become giving the balance between being at work and a mum and partner. Other things I need to do…I plan to get my hair cut, prepare my work wardrobe so I look ok and feel good at work. Despite the baby snot that will inevitably end up on my blazers!” Mummy R 

“Leg wax, haircut, new dress, nails done. Look the part when you arrive on your first day back at work, even if you don’t feel it. Meal plan for dinners for first week back. Photo of little one(s) for desk to keep you smiling when you get there. Drink lots of water so you can feel smug going to the loo on your own.

Download podcasts for train journey in. My guilty pleasure is the Archers but also TV serials of course.

Tidy out handbag so it isn’t full of nappies, raisins and snotty tissues (this is what I do every Sunday night LOL)” Mummy B 

“Honestly, one of the best things to do is to get the dad to take some paternity leave when you head back to work. On both occasions I’ve had three months where my only job is to get myself to work. No faffing with nursery pick ups or drop offs. An opportunity to do whatever I need to establish myself back at work without having to suddenly drop everything and leave. Great for Daddy to spend time with the baby as well.

I also recommend a new back to work bag, an new impractical dry clean only dress from Hobbs that says ‘stay away from me! This is DRY CLEAN ONLY’ and some serious work drinks with colleagues when you are back in the swing of things. Oh and several bottles of red on standby for the end of the week” Mummy S 

“Pretend returning to work after maternity leave isn’t really happening….and then be ready to compartmentalise. So at work be at work 100% but at home be with the children 110% and don’t think about work” Mummy E

“I’m heading back to work soon and so I treated myself to some new work shoes. They will also look nice with my skinny jeans (trying to maximise price per wear even when though they were a bargain from Mango!). I’m also going to try and get ready the meals for the kids for the week, things for the fridge and freezer. A menu will be up on our kitchen wall so I know what they’re eating as soon as we roll in the front door. I’ll be making sure there’s enough food for me too as I love my tea time together after not seeing them all day although we can all be a bit worn out and tired!” Mummy L

Remember to leave a comment if you’d like to share any of your own tips and tricks. Have a good day and hope the sun is also shining where you are.

#backtoworkaftermaternityleave #gettingreadyforwork #hobbs #mango #kiko #workingmums #workingparents #luckythings_uk  #maternityleave

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