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Two months into working at Gather Social, my life was turned upside down by the news that I was pregnant. Needless to say, my work life was about to change completely… This is how I’ve adapted to a new way of working after becoming a mum.
Maternity leave
I was very conscious that having 7 months off could hinder my ability to pick up where I left off at work. So, I decided I wanted to work building on my Illustrator skills around looking after my newborn son. Doing this brought structure to an otherwise hectic day of baby bottles and nappies and made me feel like more than just a nappy changer. This time off work allowed me to refuel and work out what I really wanted from my career so when I went back to work I was like a new person… determined to progress, upskilled and ready to be creative every day again.
The first week back
I was initially anxious about my return to work because I wasn’t quite sure what role I would be returning to and how I would be able to work around child care. To my surprise, the structure of the business was starting to shift massively, which meant I could be more responsible for my day and workload. Instantly the anxiety started to waver and I quickly slotted back into the Gather Social Team.
Moral Support
As with most big changes in life, there were good days and bad days in the beginning but on the bad days, when I started to feel overwhelmed and guilty about leaving my, then 8-month-old, baby, I could rely on the support of the Gather Social team. Whether that meant discussing how my career would be affected by my time off with our MD, which as it happens was only positively, or having to cry on the shoulder of a colleague, the support was, and is, always there.
Going Forward
Occasionally, I find it difficult to work around being a mum, but with a new flexible working structure being brought into the company, I can change the way, and times, I work. Going forward, I feel like I have a good work/ life balance and going back to work has given me the opportunity to feel more like an adult and an individual again, rather than my whole identity being Ezra’s mum. I’m excited to develop my career further with Gather Social as I continue to get more responsibilities within the company.
If you enjoyed Gabriella’s blog about how work changed for her after returning to work after having a baby, then click here to read another blog and get to know our team.