Having spent five years reinventing myself as a working from home mother; queen of baking, thrower of play dates and expert of writing while the kids were in school or napping.. I am now officially two months back at ‘work-work’.
At the beginning, I was stressed out like you wouldn’t believe; furiously trying to make the house presentable for the childminder, ironing clothes for the next day at midnight, packing lunches and roaring at Ass Monkey to put out the bins and switch over the effing car seats to his car at 7am.
After a few weeks, we got our groove on. We still have a lot more organising to do than ever before now that I am out of the house three days a week, but the initial panic has subsided.
Now, sweetly, the routine has become rather normal. Everyone knows what jobs they have to do and what is needed to make it all work.
With that balance has come a lovely calm and an opportunity for me to sit back and take stock of just how much I am enjoying myself now that I have to head to the office each week.
Here are some of my new favourite things about being a working mammy:
1. The commute
I know that everyone normally hates their commute, but I have a really enjoyable hour’s drive each way that I use to listen to music or the news, in full and in peace, without any interruptions. That hasn’t happened for years.
2. Wearing all my jewellery
I have some really nice rings, watches, earrings and necklaces that I haven’t gotten to wear because there really isn’t any point at home. Rings scrape baby’s legs as you are trying to change them, watches have to be taken off as you slip on the rubber gloves to clean up some spills AGAIN, and necklaces get broken by little inquisitive hands. I am thoroughly enjoying looking through my jewellery boxes again and giving the little gems a day out.
3. Going to the loo
It may be very early days, but none of my work colleagues have yet tried to join me in the bathroom while I do my business. I could literally stay in there for as long as I like and no one would come looking for me. MAGIC.
4. The eating and drinking
Oh, the eating and drinking! It has to be said, there is nothing more satisfying that sitting down and enjoying a meal from start to finish without having to jump up every second minute because someone needs you to look in their mouths right now because they think they might have eaten ham by mistake!
5. The potential for completing chores
Before work, lunch breaks, after work – all of that time is now gloriously mine! I can run to the post office, the bank, get my nails done, go for a walk, see what’s on offer in the local Spar deli (yes, this is mostly about food) – all in record time because I am flying solo!
6. The levelling of the playing field at home
Yes, we are all equal in our home and no, nobody is more important than anyone else, but when you are the person who is at home all the time – regardless of how much freelance work you have to do – the household chores sort of just get left there for you to do. But when you have a ‘job-job’ too, then everyone has to pull their weight in equal measures. That bit of teamwork and shared workload goes a long way towards feeling appreciated.
7. The in-between days
I work three days a week at the office and so the days off in between with the kids are so great. Even though I’m not completely conscious of it while I’m at work, I realise just how much I miss them when I see them. Instead of doing the ‘usual’, i.e. getting busy with play dates and housework and anything that takes up loads of time, I have instead elected to just hang out with the two monkeys. We have baked, we have played more games than ever before and we have kisses and hugs all day long. That is the sort of stuff that gets you through.
8. The hoosh in self-confidence
I wouldn’t consider myself to be short on self-confidence but there is always a little wobble when you start a new job. Will I be able to do it? Will I wear the wrong thing? Will I say something stupid? What if.. what if.. what if.. A million scenarios go through your head before you take that first step, but in the end, us mums are generally capable of pretty much anything, aren’t we?
Have you recently gotten back to work? Let me know how you’re getting on at Sharyn.Hayden@HerFamily.ie
