Moms Returning to Work: Useful Tips You Need

Key Takeaways

• Returning to work will be life-changing, but it will be best the life-change you didn’t know you needed
• Returning to work doesn’t have to come with guilt
• You will need to be intentional to avoid burnout
• The skills it takes to be a stay at home mom can be beneficial in the workplace
• All moms deserve to be fulfilled both as moms and as individuals

Stay at Home Mom is a Job

Let’s set one thing straight. All moms are working moms! However, when I refer to working moms in this post, I am referring to moms working outside of caring for children aka working a job that earns income. Somewhere along the way, stay at home moms got a negative reputation and people started assuming they were lazy moms who do nothing all day. For the sake of time, I will not write a list of all the things I accomplish in one day as a stay at home mom, but just know, it is work!

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about these tips for moms returning to work.

Why Stay At Home Moms Return to Work

Of course, the reason is different for every mom. Some moms return to work because the family needs the money. Other moms may return to work because they miss working. There may even be some mothers who return to work after realizing being a stay at home mom was not for them. Whatever the reason, know this, your reason for returning to work is 100% valid. No mom should feel guilt for returning to work whether it is a desire or a need.

I have seen posts in mom’s groups on Facebook from moms asking if they are bad moms because they want to go back to work. The answer is an astounding NO! You do not need a “legit” reason to go back to work. Do not let anyone guilt you into thinking you have to be a stay at home mom without a career to be a good mom. Good moms come in many forms. Working moms can also be good moms.

How to Know it’s Time to Go Back to Work After Having a Baby

It may be time to go back to work if:

1. The thought keeps crossing your mind
2. Your family is in need of additional income
3. You never planned to be a stay at home mom forever
4. Being a stay at home mom, without a career leaves you feeling unfulfilled
5. You have a strong desire to build a career or start a business
6. Your kids are all back in school and you want something productive to do
7. You are ready to do something different other than “momming” all day

How to Get Rid of Mom Guilt

Start by reminding yourself that you are a whole person, deserving of a fulfilling career. You do not need to feel like you are choosing between your kids and career. Honestly, it is very wise to consider your return to work as a move to make you a better mom. When you have unmet aspirations and blame it on being a mom, it builds resentment which you then take out on your kids, thier father or others in your life.

It is best to decide that you are a better person when you are happy and cared for. This allows you to nix the guilt and realize that your children actually deserve a mom that is thriving and loving life. Nobody benefits when you are stressed, depressed, and sad, waiting for your kids to turn 18 to finally live. You can and should live now!

Practice 3 Things to Avoid Mom-guilt

1. Start saying daily affirmations regarding your right to live fulfilled as an individual (i.e. I deserve a thriving career or I am better when I am happy as an individual, first).
2. Stop listening to people who try to convince you that you have to put your whole life on hold after having kids. They are 100% wrong.
3. Commit to achieving your career goals for your kids. Your kids actually need to see you fulfilling your dreams and will benefit greatly.

The Best Jobs for Moms Returning to Work

Take a look at this list of the highest-paying jobs for moms going back to work.

Honestly, I am sharing that list with you just for reference. The best jobs for moms returning to work are jobs that meet you and your family’s goals and jobs that ultimately make you feel fulfilled as an individual. I would never recommend going back to work in a position that is stressful, doesn’t help you meet financial goals, or is simply a job that you do not enjoy. If you are a stay at home mom going back to work, don’t you want it to be worth it?!

The good news is you ultimately are the one who should determine what “worth it” means to you. Do not let anyone make this decision for you. Even though you have children together, you are still a whole person who is both capable of making sound decisions and worthy of having a fulfilling career, if you so choose.

How to avoid being an Exhausted Working Mom

I have done it all; I have worked before having any kids. I’ve been a stay at home mom with no work responsibilities, outside of caring for kids. I worked from home while the kids were home as well. I am now working from home with both kids in school! (insert major raise the roof haha).

From my experience, being a working mother is freaking exhausting. Before having kids I would go to work and come home only to my husband. We could end our day whenever we wanted. Now that we have kids, my work day ends when the kids come running into the house from the school bus. There is no break; no time to decompress. I wait until they go to bed to be completely done with my day. This routine can become exhausting very quickly.

If you are a mom going back to work, please promise that you will do everything in your power to avoid burnout before it happens!

Tips to Avoid Being an Overwhelmed Working Mom

Make these 6 promises to yourself as a working mom:

1. Promise to make time to be alone for 1 hour at least once a week
2. Promise to use your paid vacation time (if you have it) and not feel guilty
3. Promise to not feel obligated to handle all the household and parenting duties alone, on top of working all day
4. Promise to limit your work to your working hours (set business hours if you are an entrepreneur).
5. Promise to make the necessary adjustments if you start to feel unfulfilled again.  
6. Promise to seek help when you need it!

How to Build a Resume for Moms Returning to Work

If you have been out of the workforce for a long period of time, do not be intimidated by what hiring professionals call “gaps in your employment”. Yes you may have gaps, but your skills have never stopped, mama! You may need to reach deep down and pull those skills out, but don’t discount any one skill.

Consider a skill-based or functional resume that is not so focused on the chronological order of your experience. If you are a mom returning to work after 5 years or a mom going back to work after 10 years, you will pull on every experience you have had that can be considered a transferable skill for the positions you are considering.

If you were a volunteer for a non-profit organization, led a local mom’s group, or went back to school to get a degree or certificate, you will want to include this on your resume. Make a list of all the activities you were involved in during your time as a stay at home mom. You may think your time as a PTA volunteer was meaningless, but once you write down everything you did in that role, I am positive you will discover some hard and soft skills that can easily transfer into the workplace.

Should you Put Stay At Home Mom on A Resume

Every mom returning to work will have a different story so there is no right or wrong answer to putting being a mom on your resume. However, if as a stay at home mom you developed meal plans, coordinated family vacations,  planned elaborate birthday parties, or redesigned your master bedroom and living room, then you should absolutely put being a mom on your resume.

Need Help with Writing a Resume?

Let me help you with your resume if you are a mom returning to work! I was once a Workforce Development Professional and helped build resumes as a Career Coach. Whether you need to build a resume from scratch or just want to have someone look over your resume, I would love to be a resource. You can schedule a call with me to discuss your unique skills and build a great resume!

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