The surprising thing that mums want most from their careers
I had a discovery call this week with a lovely potential client and we got to talking about about meaningful work and family.
I always ask on a discovery call what sort of changes they would ideally like to see in 6 months or a year's time, and she shared that she was thinking about starting a family. Her current job didn't feel rewarding or fulfilling, and she wanted to know that when she eventually did have kids and then planned a return to work, that it would be 'worth it'.
I hear this a lot from mums who are either returning to work after mat leave or have taken a longer break to care for kids or older relatives. If they are going to spend time away from their families (and arrange expensive childcare) then they want to feel as if the work they are going to be doing is a) rewarding for them as individuals and also b) is making a difference. Contributing to their boss's bottom line often won't cut it anymore.
I know that a big motivator for me when I decided to re-train as a coach and go freelance, was knowing that I was planning to start a family and wanted to create a fulfilling career that allowed maximum flexibility.
One of the modules in my career change programme focuses specifically on what gives you a sense of meaning and purpose, and the reason we spend time on this topic is that it is a crucial part of the career puzzle.
Knowing your purpose is all about who you are and the impact you make in the world. It gives you a much stronger sense of what you really want from your life and your work, and can really help you understand which career choices are going to be rewarding, meaningful, and worth spending time away from your family for.
Does this resonate with you? What factors were most important to you when you returned to work after having kids/caring for relatives? Or is this something you're thinking about for the future?
Let me know in the comments section… 📢
I'm thinking of kids in the future. I recently switched jobs because I knew I wanted to be a present mom. Great finding your newsletter Juliette! Happy to see there are fellow work-life balance writers out there.