Practical advice for working mothers

If you think that maintaining a career whilst handling the responsibility of being a mum is impossible, then follow some of these tips. Most working mothers find them invaluable:

• Stay in touch when on maternity leave. Getting back into the swing of working, especially if you have shift patterns or full-time office hours to keep, is tough for most mums returning from maternity leave. Use any staying in touch days you might have during your leave to their maximum potential. When you return to work, there is little doubt that you will feel the change, but staying in contact with the workplace atmosphere and colleagues will always help this transition. Like anything in life, changes take time to adjust to, but maintaining communication makes the alteration that much less severe.
• Know your rights. Employers might be very sympathetic to new parents in the workplace, but this does not necessarily mean that they get everything right. Some employers may have never had to deal with maternity or paternity leave before, let alone cope with flexible working patterns which can accommodate things like school runs. Make sure you know what the law allows working mothers and what it does not. When it comes to time off, you'll want your employer to be flexible with you, so understanding your legal rights helps you to know when to make a stand and when to reach a compromise.
• Get your childcare sorted. Don't leave childcare arrangements to the last minute. You may have things planned for the next school term, but things change. Childcare can fall through or not work out as expected. Always make sure that you have some back up plan you can to turn to if you have pre-school age children. For mums with kids who are ready to apply to school, make sure that you know when the local authority's deadlines are and how to make an application. Don't miss out on your first choice school or nursery because you missed an application deadline.
• Book your holiday early. If you leave putting in your holiday requests, then you could easily miss out, especially if there are other working parents at your company who want the same dates. When you are a working mother, it means you are likely to use up all of your leave during the school holidays, by far the most popular time. Don't get turned down for your annual leave request by leaving it too late – you will end up having to shell out for more childcare or calling in favours from friends and family to help bridge the gap.
• Don't assume you can do it all. Some working mothers take on the world and win, but most mums find that something has to give. This might mean taking on a bit less responsibility at work than you have been used to or cutting down the amount of time you spend in the office. Explain to your manager why things have changed and that this is just temporary until your children get older and more able to look after themselves. Ask for help where you need it. No one will think less of you.
• Find some me time. This is a tricky one for many working mums. However, you need to look after yourself in order to be able to take care of your kids and maintain a professional career. Along with finding time for yourself for things like relaxation, remember to do something that is self-improving. Whatever it is, it might be useful down the line and help to further your career.
• Use the weekend to prepare for the week. After work, household chores can take over so you never get quality time with your family. Try using your weekend time to get as many things done as you can so that weekday evenings are not spent working after the children have gone to bed. Prepare some meals or packed lunches in advance, for instance. Running a home with children in it can be delightful, but exhausting, so don't devote every part of every day to jobs around the place.

With a bit of luck, maintaining a good work-life balance is something that can be achieved by most working mothers. If things do start to get out of hand, then take a moment to stop and reassess what you are doing to determine what can be cut from your schedule.