How I Made Going Back to Work Work For Us!

I've been back to work for a little over 2 months now, and I feel like we're getting the hang of everything. I keep getting asked if I'm back to work yet, and how I'm finding it.

Well, I would say I'm actually finding that it's going quite well. 

As a person, I'm the type to just grit my teeth and deal with things, so it doesn't surprise me that I'm feeling good about being back at work. Also, I love my job, so that helps.

Want to know what I did to make things a little easier? Ok, here it is.

Disclaimer: Obviously I'm a pretty scheduled person. I like to be organized, it makes me feel better and more in control of my life. If you're an anti-scheduler, these probably won't help you. 

{ONE}

Invest in a great planner. 

In November I decided I wanted to find a planner that I could use to organize myself. I knew I only had a few months left before I went back to work, so I made this one of my 5 pound presents to myself. I have to say, I love my life planner. It was a fantastic investment. I have a cute little Maxwell Designs bag that I keep my coloured pens and washi tape in, and I sit down and plan my week out on sunday, and have fun doing it!



{TWO}

Meal plan!!

I skirted around this idea for a really long time, and I shouldn't have. It really doesn't take long, and it means that I can check my cupboards, find what I need, make a list, and go to the grocery store once. That saves a lot of time!

I keep a list of meals that were good in the back of my planner, and every week I try to make one meal that I've never made before. It doesn't always happen on the weeks I do my long rotation, but it gives us some variety and a chance to try new things.


{THREE}

Get a house cleaning schedule you can stick to. This one is a work in progress for us. I printed off our schedule again last week, and worked it around so that it will work better with me being back to work. For example, I had myself stripping the beds every wednesday. That doesn't really work anymore, since I work every single wednesday. I think I've fixed it to something more manageable now, but I imagine it'll need some tweaking.

The cleaning schedule I have can be found here, if you want to check it out!


{FOUR}

Accept help.

Yep. Even the most organized person needs help sometimes. I am getting my mom to come over and clean every other thursday for me, during my long rotation week. It's helpful, because when I get home from work, I want to spend time with Harper, not clean clean clean. And, my mom pockets some extra cash too. It's a win for everyone!

{FIVE}

Be flexible.

Didn't I just say to be organized?!

Here's the thing. I might write in that I'm having spaghetti for dinner on thursday, but Casey might text me and tell me his mom has chili waiting for us when we're done work. Even if I have it in the slow cooker already, I just roll with it. Spaghetti can be eaten as leftovers. It's not like I made a fancy steak and slaved over a stove all day. I just save it for the next day, or switch a meal I was going to have to the next week. No fuss, no muss, and I didn't have to make (and clean up) dinner!

Sometimes life gets in the way of our schedule and it's better that way!

{SIX}

Get enough sleep.

Even on your days off, get your beauty sleep in! It's so much harder to be on top of everything if you're sleep deprived. I go to bed around 10 every night. It works for me, even if I read or something before I sleep, at least I'm not up until midnight.

{SEVEN}

This one is the big one.

Have a babysitter that you know will take good care of your child. It's hard enough going to work and leaving your beautiful child behind, missing parts of their life. It makes it so much better knowing that Harper is with Sable (my sister in law) and she gets to play with her aunt and cousin all day. I don't have to be at work, wondering if Harper is being fed, getting along with other kids, or anything like that. I know that she's fine, and having a great time.

Well, that's the best advice I've got! I hope it's helpful to anyone who is about to go back to work, or is struggling with being back.

I'm linking up with Kristin at Mama & Mou for Baby Talk!




Comments

  1. Thanks for all the tips! I love reading your blog and hearing about Harper! Makes me hopeful for my own child and experience!?

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    1. Thank you! Having Harper is great! I wasn't sure I was ready for a child when we talked about getting pregnant, but I realized I'd never be truly ready, so I decided to go for it. Best decision ever!

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  2. Meal planning, meal planning, meal planning!! I've only recently started this and I WISH I'd started sooner. This works just as much for a stay-at-home as a working mama :)

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    Replies
    1. So true! I started meal planning while I was still on mat leave and it made life so much easier! Thanks for reading!

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