Return to work organisation

[NameChangeCity123]

I'm back to work next month after my mat leave- what are your best tips and advice for things to put in place/ do now to be organised and have a smooth return to work?

Thanks

Easy clothes. My children had long sleeved patterned babygros which I changed them into at bedtime and then put on jogging bottoms in the morning. Absolute game changer if you have to get them to nursery.

Put a muslin over your shoulder if you're wearing work clothes. They will be sick even if they haven't been for 5 months the minute you're wearing a work outfit.

Front load as much as possible. Do everything you can the night before.

Don't feel guilty if you need to stick them in front of the telly for 10 minutes while you get ready.

Good luck!

Don't go back to work on the same day that your baby's new childcare arrangement starts if possible, set it up a week beforehand so you're in the routine, even if it's just a couple of hours eg with family.

Do as much as you can the night before - I know it's tempting to Sit down in a heap once baby is in bed, but even just doing your lunch and choosing an outfit for the following day helps. I find decisions in the morning take about 3 times as long!!

Consider online shopping and setting up so me of their automatic lists if possible, or using amazon subscribe and save for some bits so that you aren't always thinking about what to buy.

Maybe more for when you have slightly older children but learn to say 'no' to stuff on your days off. Especially after covid restrictions I found it really tempting to want to do every gathering, party, club etc but then would get back to work exhausted. So now we do dc regular clubs and house crap on a Saturday and only book stuff on a Sunday.

Make sure your partner is in board with do half of everything.

@Clymene

Easy clothes. My children had long sleeved patterned babygros which I changed them into at bedtime and then put on jogging bottoms in the morning. Absolute game changer if you have to get them to nursery.

Put a muslin over your shoulder if you're wearing work clothes. They will be sick even if they haven't been for 5 months the minute you're wearing a work outfit.

Front load as much as possible. Do everything you can the night before.

Don't feel guilty if you need to stick them in front of the telly for 10 minutes while you get ready.

Good luck!

Love this advice! Will be using all of it haha thank you

@Findahouse21

Don't go back to work on the same day that your baby's new childcare arrangement starts if possible, set it up a week beforehand so you're in the routine, even if it's just a couple of hours eg with family.

Do as much as you can the night before - I know it's tempting to Sit down in a heap once baby is in bed, but even just doing your lunch and choosing an outfit for the following day helps. I find decisions in the morning take about 3 times as long!!

Consider online shopping and setting up so me of their automatic lists if possible, or using amazon subscribe and save for some bits so that you aren't always thinking about what to buy.

Maybe more for when you have slightly older children but learn to say 'no' to stuff on your days off. Especially after covid restrictions I found it really tempting to want to do every gathering, party, club etc but then would get back to work exhausted. So now we do dc regular clubs and house crap on a Saturday and only book stuff on a Sunday.

Love the subscriptions and saying no advice, thank you!

@Duracellbunnywannabe

Make sure your partner is in board with do half of everything.

I think this is going to be my biggest challenge as I literally do 90% now as I'm 'off' but when we're both working full time again it will be a fight worth having to get it back to 50/50

This is a very common issue. The way DH and I resolved it was by sitting together and writing a list of of everything which had to be done daily (empty dishwasher, restock changing bag) weekly (meal plan and food shop), monthly (cat meds) and occasional (new clothes for baby, dentist appointment) and how long each thing takes and then we divided it. There were thing DH hadn’t considered and things which DH does which I had forgotten about.

Start now on getting to an equitable split of work and mental load now. So things like a meal plan and weekly shopping lists to match is great, but don't get sucked into being the one who draws all that up.
Practically, for you, sort out a weeks worth of work clothes that fit, and put things all on a hanger as a complete outfit so you aren't searching for things in the morning.
If you'll be driving to work, put a bag with an emergency outfit, hairbrush, wipes in the car so if they sick/poo on you at drop off you can fix it. Similarly a bag with nappies/wipes/babygro in so that if nursery bag is forgotten or you haven't restocked with nappies overnight you don't have to go home

@CMOTDibbler

Start now on getting to an equitable split of work and mental load now. So things like a meal plan and weekly shopping lists to match is great, but don't get sucked into being the one who draws all that up. Practically, for you, sort out a weeks worth of work clothes that fit, and put things all on a hanger as a complete outfit so you aren't searching for things in the morning. If you'll be driving to work, put a bag with an emergency outfit, hairbrush, wipes in the car so if they sick/poo on you at drop off you can fix it. Similarly a bag with nappies/wipes/babygro in so that if nursery bag is forgotten or you haven't restocked with nappies overnight you don't have to go home

Love all of this advice and think having things laid out in outfits will save a lot of time. Thanks!

@Duracellbunnywannabe

This is a very common issue. The way DH and I resolved it was by sitting together and writing a list of of everything which had to be done daily (empty dishwasher, restock changing bag) weekly (meal plan and food shop), monthly (cat meds) and occasional (new clothes for baby, dentist appointment) and how long each thing takes and then we divided it. There were thing DH hadn’t considered and things which DH does which I had forgotten about.

I think this is what we will need to do too as we are both working long hours and I think because I've been at home and in a routine its all just out of sight, out of mind