The biggest career challenge yet – learning to take a break.

I started working a paper round with my sister when we were young, that moved to a Saturday job at a local cafe when I was 14. From there I have worked in my local gym running children’s parties, restaurant work that involved dressing up as the Nando’s chicken, retail from children’s clothes to high fashion, real estate in North London and all the promo work where once I had to dress up as Usain Bolt to promote some running wear in the middle of Union Square in NYC! and this was all before I started my “actual career”.

I would say my life has always been focused around my career (I am a true Capricorn after all), with myself often asking the questions “what’s next?”, “How can I better myself” – a previous manager once said “I’m worried we won’t challenge you enough” and they were right – I need to be challenged in my everyday and as soon as I don’t feel that I need to move on. So how exactly am I meant to take a break from what has defined me for the last 22 years!

ENTER 2022 – the year I was forced to take a career break.

I recently gave birth to my son in late December 2021 in Sweden, which can be described as probably one of the best places in the world to start a family. The parental leave is extremely generous, allowing 480 days of combined leave for both the parents — and considering I have spent the majority of my adult working life in the US and UK; where maternity leave is either non existent or childcare costs the same as monthly rent, you could say I was in awe when I learnt the parental rights in Sweden as well as all the other benefits that come with it. (Of course the service designer in me would love to sort out the process behind applying for all these benefits but maybe that is for another blog post).

When looking at what leave I would take, discussing with my partner we decided to try and split it equally. I would take the first 8 months off (9 months including some vacation days I had) and he would continue and take off 6 more months before Bo (pronounced Beau for you non-swedes) could go into nursery. I have never taken any time off from work since I was 14 (other than a year at CIID, where I went through an intense one year masters program that was more challenging that any job I have worked) so what am I going to do for 9 months?? How am I going to be mentally challenged?? Will I end up resenting it?? Will I even miss work?? What will happen to my career progression if I take too much time off? All of these questions crossed my mind.

You never really know how you are going to feel in this moment after giving brith, there is so much ‘mum guilt’ and judgement around how you should feel. Whether it is you deciding to not go back to work at all, or to go back to work earlier than expected. But we are three weeks in and I feel like the initial “Holy crap, I have to keep this human alive” has subdued and as I get into the swing of his sleep schedule (and lack of mine) I have decided to start a small, achievable list of things to do over the next 9 months to keep myself mentally sane (so that I don’t spend the time completing the entire Netflix catalog), alongside still keeping the human alive and stimulated of course.

Learn to be present and in the moment.
Learn a new craft : Knitting.
Blog monthly to keep my mind engaged.
Use this time to network with others in the area of Service Design and DesignOps (if you don’t mind Bo making an appearance on screen).
Start planting our veggies for the summer.
Plan our wedding (part 3).
Start training for a three day hike I am walking for charity in September 2022.

Most importantly I will spend this time being in the moment, learning to be a new mum and how that defines me and addressing the needs of Bo but also learning to balance my needs. I work best when I set achievable goals both in career and in life, it gives me satisfaction to be able to work towards something and not to feel like I am remaining stagnant.

If any of the above seems interesting to you, particularly if you have any good You Tube’s on how to start knitting, or training for a 3 day hike please get in touch! Until then I have a hungry boy to feed.