A gap. A career break. Time away from the workplace. Time off (is it heck). Stay at home parent. We don’t actually need to label it right now, but if you’re finding your way back into the world of paying work this one is for you. You might be pondering how you represent that ‘gap’…
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When you set up by yourself in business – freelancing, a LTD company, sole trader whatever it may be, you get lots of immediate well wishes. ‘Good for you’ and ‘you’ll be amazing’ are felicitations that are very much appreciated. Accompanying the cheering on, you can often find a lot of advice. Some conflicting, some…
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Looking for a new job after parental leave? It’s not the easiest transition for many of us. You’re in the trenches of getting reacquainted with who you are, the value you bring and often on dodgy sleep. But, it’s totally possible to feel empowered and excited about the newest chapter you’re shaping. Is the idea…
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There’s a lot of chat about returning to work after becoming a parent, but what about preparing for parental leave? It can feel overwhelming. Full of uncertainty, like you’re on a countdown to something you’re not entirely sure you can articulate. You’re about to become a parent but what happens to your role? Are they…
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Read the books they said. Join a group (or six) they said. Follow this person on social media they said. So much well meaning, kindly intended advice was the order of business when I became a parent. I was SWIMMING in the stuff. Do you know what I didn’t hear people talk about though? The…
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When I say ‘boundaries’ what gets conjured up in your head? Do they come with a particular feeling for you? Perhaps you could start immediately reeling off your current ones and go into all the detail about how they support you. Or maybe you’re wondering what on earth I’m going on about. Boundaries have a…
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When I became a parent in the workplace, I was a rabbit in headlights a lot of the time. I was definitely winging it and the energy that it took to maintain a shiny(ish) exterior was next level. There were so many things I wish I’d have known before I returned to work. The reality…
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This has been brewing in my head for a while. Questioning if I should say anything publicly for fear of judgement. Then I listened to Elizabeth Day chatting to Brené Brown on her podcast. Something Brené Brown said about fitting in, shame and judgement has made me think differently. Parts of what I’m going to…
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It’s fair to say I held a lot of expectations about working for yourself. It hasn’t exactly followed a step by step approach. I’ve found some bits full of joy and others bits really chuffing tough. It’s always evolving but I want to share some things that surprise(d) me the most. Spending time ‘marketing’ takes…
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This post is for the empathetic and compassionate eyes of employers and line managers (and those that might be working on dialling up their empathy and compassion actually!) I want to explore with you questions you might not be asking your team members who happen to be parents…. It’s fairly common for someone to return…
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