In our work at Thriving Parents, we see how common it is for a working parent to lose some of their confidence having returned to work after parental leave.

So the first thing to know is that if you feel like you have lost some of that confidence and assurance, it is normal!

The dictionary defines self-confidence as “a feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgement.”

Words associated with self-confidence are self-assurance, belief in oneself, positiveness, assertiveness, assurance, self-reliance, self-possession, composure, nerve, poise, presence, aplomb.

In short, it is also a feeling of being comfortable in your own skin.

How confident do you feel today?

On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being extremely confident and 0 being no confidence at all, how would you rate yourself? Consider how often you speak out in meetings, take the initiative and lead on a new idea, challenge others’ ideas, offer new perspectives, trust yourself to make mistakes and...

Juggling work and family life is often exhausting and for many working parents, it is hard to find the extra time or energy to do much else. However, it is widely recognised that a regular sporting activity boosts your resilience and reduces stress.

As a busy mum of 2, striving to reach my professional aspirations and keep my family happy, I used to think that sport would be a selfish indulgence and one that would eat into the time that I had away for work and family.  

However after biting the bullet and signing up to my local gym, I soon realised that an hour’s fitness training twice a week boosted my performance at work and made me more effective at home. It also helped to reduce the tensions and worries that I was dealing with on a daily basis. My tiredness diminished as I started to sleep better and, of course, my self -confidence started to rise.

Researchers at « Harvard Business Review» surveyed a population of working adults to gather input regarding...

The lead up to maternity really does feel like a rollercoaster for many women: excited and energised one moment, sick or tired and fearful of the future the next, coupled with a changing body shape and swirling emotions.

It’s no surprise that it is a somewhat confusing period in our lives ….(imagine how it is for partners watching on!).

There are many factors that you will not be able to directly control; so focus on what you can control and influence; starting with a positive perspective and taking ownership. Here are a few pointers:

#1: Talk to others

If you haven’t already, understand the internal HR policies around maternity and talk to others you know, who have already been through this transition.

They may have some ideas and advice that may not be obvious to you – both what to do and what not to do!

#2: Challenge your assumptions

It is very personal as to when you advise your manager of your pregnancy and the relationship you have will...

First of all, congratulations!

For each parent, this is such a personal journey that there is no script to follow. Instead here are some tips to help you be mindful of and embrace the changes.

As the Professional woman:

You hopefully agreed boundaries before your maternity break and they are being adhered to. It may be that you have changed your mind and you want more or less contact – let people know so that you maximise this time. It is worth considering which colleagues are key influencers and always keep abreast of the political landscape – a coffee/lunch with them can quickly bring you up to speed with developments at work. 

• Remember that this can be a great opportunity to develop new skills and learn about topics you never have enough time for in a typical working week. There is an adundance of interesting articles, discussions, forums etc you can access or explore an on-line course as a possibility. Please be mindful that this may be unlikely in the early...

This is such a personal journey that there is no script to follow. There is no right or wrong way of balancing parenthood and professional life. Each person has their unique way of balancing the two, based on their own value system, needs, motivations and aspirations. The only criteria here is that you find your way, you understand your own value system, needs, motivations and aspirations; so that you design the best balance for yourself; so that you can thrive at home and at work!

Here are some tips to help you best navigate these new waters, where you become the queen of juggling and sharing yourself with many! Depending on how soon you return to work, also be aware that typically it takes 9 months for your body to return to normal, hormonally and physiologically.

As the Professional woman:

• More than likely, your role was performed by one or many people in your absence. You wouldn’t be alone if you felt awkward taking back the controls. Start with speaking to those who...

Accompanying the transition to parenthood requires a change in assumptions, beliefs, behaviour and motivations on the part of the parents concerned.

For a woman, it is probably one of the most challenging and exciting transitions; amplified by a great deal of mental and physical changes and unknowns, with associated fears; especially with the 1st child.

Fathers however, are often overlooked during this transition period; despite their conflicting desires to spend more time with family, whilst upholding professional aspirations. So this blog addresses how Fathers can better balance parenthood and professional work.

I remember when my first daughter was several months old, my Mother commented about my husband:

“John is good. He is often home to do the bath and bedtime routine and is a very hands-on Dad.” 

My Mother’s comments highlighted the changes just between our generation; her perception that John was “good” and our perception that John...

There has been much research and debate around what is the key to advancement for women in business. Much focus is on “fixing” the individual herself - increasing networking skills and visibility at work, finding a mentor, identifying a sponsor, becoming political ‘savvy’; to name a few. There is also great discussion around shifting the culture and tackling negatives biases in the workplace; to provide the best platform to allow for women to advance in their careers.

One common denominator in all these debates is the importance of ‘owning your voice’. 

What does that mean?

Irrelevant of whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, it means expressing yourself at work, having an opinion, vocalising your thoughts, being heard and seen; in your own authentic way.

In our work at Thriving Parents, we know that this is especially relevant when women return to work, following a maternity break. Often we return to work and find ourselves...

Often, as working parents, our focus is exclusively on completing the to-do list in the most efficient way, that our default is to sit down at the desk and work like a Trojan, without stopping or even daring to accept a lunch invitation because you have an absolute deadline – child care pick up at 17:30. It’s not a deadline that can be moved by even an hour or too, not one to be negotiated – you have to meet it.

Our work sees us supporting working parents of young children, often in their thirties and early forties, that the timing is not right to even consider leadership roles or promotion – the common line we hear is “the children are too young and I cannot give the time the organisation needs”.

Such assumptions can be challenged if your organisation is an advocate for having strong leaders who also ‘walk the talk’, effectively making time work and their personal life.

This belief that it’s not possible to have both,...

We recommend that you and your Manager meet or at least speak virtually, ideally on your first day back from your parental leave; so that you can quickly re-orient yourself to the world of professional working!

What is the purpose of this meeting? Ideally, it will cover the following points:

• Practical logistics 
• Update from your Manager on the department & business
• Handover of role & responsibilities

Let’s start with practical logistics

• Has there been any changes to the office, your workstation you need to be aware of, or are there any pending changes?
• If you are a returning mother who is breastfeeding, ensure that you know where all the facilities are, so that this does not create any anxiety. Use this meeting to advise or remind your Manager of your breastfeeding routine so that he or she understands when you will be away from the office space.
• Together, look at the diary for the next six weeks and understand if there are any key meetings planned where...

Is this known as “having it all”? Can you even have a career and family without the burden of guilt, overwhelm and fatigue? There isn’t a text book standard response to this. Why? Because everyone’s definition of “having it all” is unique and it’s based on your own exclusive value system and aspirations.

Step 1: Self-awareness

The first step therefore when considering how to navigate career and family is to have a very good understanding of what is important to you, as a parent and as a professional.

As a parent – if someone asked your child 10 years from now to describe you as a Mum or Dad over the last 10 years, what do you want them to say? Who inspires you as a role model as a parent and why? What do you want to copy from your own parents? What do you not want to copy from your own parents? If you take time to consider these questions over a short period, coming back to them several times, you will soon have a sound awareness of...