Give me your tips for going back to work!

[rtab89]

I'm returning to work after mat leave and trying to organise our routines/meals/home environment to make our lives as stress-free (!!) as possible - would love anyone's tips on how to manage or what to prepare or streamline ahead of time!
I'll be working 4 days a week (out of the house 7-7) with a 1yo starting nursery 8-6 and partner doing drop offs and pick ups on his WFH days.
Any tips or advice much appreciated...what did you do that worked? What would you do differently?? Will it be as hellish as I think it will?! 😂

I would just go easy on yourself at first as it can be hard but you’ll settle into a routine and it’ll be ok after a few weeks. I made sure that I didn’t plan too much at weekends to give us some down time and even now I actively keep some weekends free so we don’t always feel like we’re rushing around.
Getting everything together the night before is a good idea so you aren’t stressed in the morning; I even used to get both our clothes out so didn’t even have to think about that.
Also meal planning so that you’re eating decent meals.

It's an adjustment but you'll find your way.
As above get as much prepped the night before as you can. Even put washing in the washing machine and delay it to be finished when you wake up. Although I'd be expecting your DH to be hanging that out if he's WFH. It's surprising how much washing piles up! (Just be sure to run a hot wash every few days so the drum doesn't smell)
Your DH might need to do the lions share on your days you are out the house 7-7 and he's wfh. My DH is out the house 6-7 and I WFH so I pick up more of the housework etc because I can. So in my lunch hour I run the hoover around, prep as much of dinner as I can, put clothes away. Nothing that takes ages but quick things that can be done when you're in the house.
I know it might feel like you'll never keep on top of everything but with your 1 year old out of the house all day they won't be around creating mess and carnage, dropping crumbs and so on.
I actually enjoy being back at work. You'll get some of your freedom and sense of doing something for yourself back. Good luck!

Always empty the bin before it needs it. Allow yourself at least one lazy dinner a week. I'd suggest your 4th work day. A stock of cereal bars for breakfast and tins of fruit for when no one has been shopping. Never go to bed without resetting the kitchen. I read that on here, years ago. It often made me spend 5 more minutes tidying up. Get ahead with all occasions.

Accept it's going to be a rough few months. They will probably be sick almost continuously for the first 3 months at least. Make sure your partner is prepared to share the time off work to cover this equally. Make sure your boss knows your childcare arrangements and know your rights in terms of leave allowance (and your partners). Lower expectations at home for a bit, buy in help eg cleaner if you can afford to. Don't book in too much social stuff as you'll probably be ill a lot of the time too. Don't take on any more than you need to at work, accept 'enough' is good enough. You don't need to be exemplar from the off.

Accept it takes more than a few weeks to adjust. Most of all know it does get better and just do what you need to get by. By about the 6 month mark the illnesses had reduced in frequency, we'd found a new rhythm and I felt more on top of work again. It's a difficult time for lots of people but you'll get through it.

Going back 7am - 7pm 4 days a week will be too much in my honest opinion. Can you gradually work up to that and do maybe two days a week for a few months?

Yeah, don't book in too much stuff. And book easy things, no dinner parties! Always have a gold coin for the tooth fairy, basic medicines, have a storage place for extra washing up liquid etc. Box of blank cards for every occasion. Whatever you need for next month, do this month. Get ahead with everything.

The earlier you go to bed the better.

Always have extra bin bags. Declutter everything. Always have a charity donations bag, on the go.

Personally I think 7am-7pm will be pretty horrendous, you will have no time for anything. It will be very tough indeed.

My only tip would be to dose up on vitamins as you may get run-down and babies often catch a lot of coughs and colds, conjunctivitis etc in nursery.

Make a list of all the routine tasks that need doing and work out between you and your DH who is doing what - less chance of things being missed.

We get a big online shop once a week which helps with planned meals and saves spending time at the shops. Getting everything ready the night before works well. Maybe a cleaner if you feel you need it?

As a pp has said, your DC will pick up a lot of bugs in the first year so conversations with your DH are vital for who will be off work when. We now split the day if one is off ill, I do morning, my DH does afternoon but neither of us work far away.

Have all the medicines ready, and disinfectants ,buckets etc for vom bugs. And get your child the chicken pox vax to help reduce 1 illness burden.

Label everything for nursery

Gousto boxes and a cleaner keep us vaguely sane

stash of stamps, cash, lightbulbs, batteries, birthday cards in the house

Find a calender system that works for you both

Book the occasional annual leave day to sit in silence

Yep exactly how I feel....that's including commute not working hours but still. Work have said they won't accept flexible working request to do 3 days 🙄

Thanks 👍 I'm working on a list of our favourite easy dinners. Lots from the Roasting Tin books so quick and only one dish!

Thank you so much! Yes we will definitely need to review who does which tasks. Also looking at budget to have a cleaner in every other week.