Bringing a child into this world is one of the most rewarding challenges you will ever experience. It’s the biggest change in anybody’s life, but the second biggest change is when we change jobs. And a new job is something that is, for many people, necessary but as the cliché goes, there is never a right time to have a baby. If you are in a new job and you have a young baby, it may seem like an overwhelming concept, but here’s a few things to bear in mind to ensure that you navigate it effectively.
Plan, Plan, Plan!
Before you start, make sure you’ve got a routine in place. You need a routine for yourself as well as your baby. Some parents instantly go back to work after having a baby and put their child into a daycare centre, but the most important thing to do here is to have a reliable support system. This will instantly give you peace of mind when you are at work, especially if you are having to get to grips with a new job.
Communicate with Your Employer
Lots of people don’t want to burden their employer with anything in case it has a detrimental impact on their role. It’s important to be open and honest with your employer because they should be open to any notions of flexibility because you may need to adjust your routine or work from home where possible.
We all can feel that when we start a new job, we’ve got to keep quiet and keep the peace and just push through until we are past the probation period, but if you have any worries, you always need to frame it from the perspective of the business. Make sure that you are communicative and can highlight how it would work for them if you were able to do your job from home a few days a week. These days, there’s a lot of remote-first organizations, and for some parents, this can be tough if they’re trying to navigate a baby at the same time, but this is where a realistic schedule also becomes invaluable as it will keep you focused and stop you from feeling overwhelmed.
Find Ways to Work Smarter
If you are trying to get to grips with certain tasks, and it means you will have to spend a lot of time slaving over your computer, you might benefit from utilizing approaches where you can work smarter rather than harder:
- Time blocking, where you have a very specific amount of time to do certain pressing tasks and use the rest of your time to work around the baby. If they nap at set times, you know that you’ll be able to get certain tasks done.
- Voice typing, which is a wonderful tool to help you if you need to create a lot of content.
- Collaboration tools, especially those that your organization uses, can help you to stay organized and in touch with your colleagues.
It is not an easy thing and if you are trying to support your family by getting a better-paid job, but while you may feel it is overwhelming at times, you must remember the importance of self-care too. It is a big task, but it can certainly be done.
