B&CO’s Post

What a fantastic way to transition back to work. Imagine how many organisations could benefit from this type of behaviour. Imagine how many more employees could be retained and how much time and money saved with higher retention and lower turnover. Imagine committed, hard working, appreciative employees - because they were given the opportunity to juggle both and they work hard to keep it. Thanks for sharing Nicole Klasen

I returned to work this week from my maternity “sabbatical” as i like to call it. I knew having twins and a toddler would be challenging, but in the past 5 months I was pushed to the limits and tested. Most days I smiled, some days I cried, but every day i learned something new about myself and my abilities. Some things i learned: - PRIORITIZE YOUR TIME WISELY - DIVIDING YOUR ATTENTION IS HARD AND CREATES MORE STRESS. YOU WILL BE LESS STRESSED IF YOU FOCUS ON ONE THING (baby) AT A TIME - A CLEAN WORKSPACE (house) IMPROVES YOUR PERFORMANCE - CREATE A PROCESS, FOLLOW IT, AND CHANGE IT OFTEN TO ADAPT - YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE. ASK FOR HELP - IT’S NO ONES FAULT. WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION - SOMETIMES, ALMOST ALWAYS, THINGS DON’T GO AS PLANNED, AND THAT’S OK - MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF. A GOOD HEAD SPACE ALLOWS YOU TO BE BETTER AT EVERYTHING - IF YOU ARE FEELING OVERSTIMULATED, TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK - PEOPLE ARE NOT MIND READERS. COMMUNICATION IS KEY - BABY SNUGGLES HEAL EVERYTHING I am fortunate to work for a company that allowed me to take 5 months of paid leave to care for my babies and grow personally and professionally. I will miss these faces so so much, but I can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learned!

❤️ Personal accomplishment and gratitude post ❤️ Celebrating my 1st anniversary at Barossa Village has been an extraordinary journey, disregarding the belief that one year is too short for celebration. This past year has been nothing short of exceptional! I embarked on a big career move when I was four months pregnant with my second child, openly sharing the news of severe pregnancy complications during my interview. Despite the challenges ahead, the team emphasised the importance of finding the right fit, assuring me we could navigate any hurdles together and prioritising my wellbeing before work demands. Upon accepting the role, my professional journey took an unconventional path. Balancing working from home, adjusting hours, and incorporating maternity leave, I prioritised family and personal health. This past year, marked by numerous hospital stays, specialists, and caring for my newborn baby through intense surgery and recovery, has been more than I thought I could handle! Thank you to the incredible support of my family and the exceptional leadership from Benjamin Hall and the staff at Barossa Village. The promises made during my interview were not mere words; they translated into meaningful actions. I felt valued not only for my work but as a person, allowing me to navigate challenges and achieve accomplishments I am proud of. As I look forward to a more normalised year🤞, I share my story to inspire others. Despite leaving a higher-paying job with a large marketing team, taking on the role of a single marketer for a community-based nonprofit organisation proved to be a fulfilling decision. The challenges, both personal and professional, seemed daunting from the outside. Still, the experience has reinforced the importance of not settling for a job that doesn't value your wellbeing. Most importantly, my baby girl is thriving 💗, a testament to the journey's success. This past year has taught me the importance of prioritising values over external perceptions and the immense impact a supportive workplace can have on personal and professional growth. Here's to celebrating milestones, overcoming challenges, and embracing a future filled with continued success and fulfilment! #careergrowth #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #achievements #gratitude #success

I came back from maternity leave at the beginning of April after 10 months of nurturing my baby and learning how to become the best mum I can be for him. I came back full time. It wasn't an easy transition and there were many days I wanted to give up, leave work and go back to my long morning walks, endless trapped naps and nursery rhymes. Because that was my happy place like I had never known any other before. But what I didn't know is that I also had to learn how to embrace my new identity: I was living in a constant emotional rollercoaster, but I was genuinely good at my job once and I was determined to become better on my return. Not all at once, of course. If I've learnt anything in the past few months it's the importance of taking one day at a time, of setting small achievable goals and to trust my gut. And here we are: I've been integrating the skills and experiences gained during maternity leave in my professional life, and I am CONFIDENT in my abilities and the unique perspective I bring to my role as a working parent. ~ In addition to the old silly waffly me that still shines in the background 😄 ~ On the slim chance you’re still reading... This is the reflection I want to share to finish my essay: Returning to work after maternity leave can be challenging, but with the right strategies and support (thanks to all the Simply Commerce team, you've been amazing!) we can successfully navigate this transition and thrive in our professional roles.

Returning to work from maternity leave this week. Back in the game and ready to crush it. 🙌 Here's why:   Pressure Cooker Training: Just graduated from the "high-pressure negotiations" course taught by a tiny human. My negotiation skills are sharper than ever. Beware...or maybe be impressed?   Multitasking Masterclass: With two kids, my multitasking skills are now Olympic-worthy. Juggling multiple competing deadlines? No sweat!   Prioritization Pro: Sleep deprivation? Been there, done that. Ready to streamline everything! My baby prepped me for peak efficiency.    Patience Power Up: My patience level has officially reached superhuman status after surviving multiple meltdowns. Maintaining Zen amidst chaos? Easy.   Creativity Unleashed: Turns out, entertaining a baby all day unlocks a whole new level of creativity. Bring on the brainstorming sessions!   Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Realized the importance of teamwork thanks to my amazing support system. Thanks to the best partner, Jonathan James, The Global FoodBanking Network and The Coca-Cola Company's generous parental leave policies. ❤️ Grateful for my team (Samir, Ernesto, Lin Wang, Luis, and Felipe) for holding it down while I was away. Ready to jump back in and finish the year strong!   Let's go! 🔥

It’s been almost a month since returning from maternity leave with my second child. With the first time it was hard and with the second it was actually…harder. I’ve got the mom thing down and somewhat know what to expect 😬, how to pivot, set boundaries, work differently, and accept that my best is going to look different everyday. I’ve gained so much from being a mom with littles. I know how to work in sprints, understand that perfection isn’t realistic, manage and use time to my advantage, and speak up assertively and at the same time operate with an incredible amount of empathy and almost a mothering instinct to others around me. In general, I’d say I’ve become a better leader with my peers and those around me because of it. The fact is that being a mom is a full time job and having a full time job on top of that doesn’t create a lot of space for a person to really even recognize who they are anymore. That’s why it’s harder. A piece of you somewhat feels like it physically leaves you with each child and you need to reassess who you are and what you’re doing with your life (and to be honest, you don’t have time for that). That’s a struggle for someone who has had the hustle mentality around work and career for most (let’s be real…ALL) of her life, from dealing Girl Scout cookies, working the hot dog stand at the ballpark to selling jeans at the hippest spot in the mall and racking up miles from military base to military base. All of that to say - that’s where I’m at. My favorite job is mom and my second favorite job is the one that actually enabled and continues to enable me to be a mom (seriously, thank you). I have a wonderful work family that accepts all of me (seen and unseen) and am able to contribute to meaningful work for humans and actually create spaces to talk about EXACTLY THIS! For that I am so grateful! Lastly, I’ve had to really rethink the notion of “bringing your full self” to work or anywhere. I don’t know if it’s an accurate assessment of what we’re really after. I think work has a place or is a “bucket” for me that needs a specific type of filling to fuel me that sometimes also looks different everyday. Bringing my full self feels like a lot of baggage that I may want to compartmentalize. For me I sometimes just want to exist in the space and that’s enough! What’s an alternative term/phrase you like to use? Photo context: I’ve chosen not to show faces of my kids online at this point bc the world’s a scary place 💕

After taking a 6-month maternity leave, I have returned to work and am grateful for the time I had to focus on being a mom. I'm excited to get back to work and contribute to some of the biggest brands in the wine industry at GALLO and use my brain beyond nap schedules and Google searches that start with “is this normal…” Before leaving, I had some great conversations with senior leaders, and I wanted to share their advice for other new moms: 1) Take your time to adjust to the major life change of returning to work. Be patient with yourself and enjoy listening more than speaking. 2) Start your first week back midweek to ease into the transition. 3) It's normal to feel like you're failing at being the best employee or parent, but don't let guilt consume you. Focus on being present in the moment, and remember that quality in all areas is more important than quantity. I would love to hear any additional advice you may have for parents returning from leave. I’m back!!

5 lessons I learned after returning from maternity leave (the second time around) 👇 1️⃣ Set boundaries 🙅♀️ I'm currently working 3 days a week to extend my time with my little boy, which means saying no. Something I've not been good at historically! Try not to over-commit to meetings, projects and tasks when you first come back to work. 2️⃣ Prepare for the unexpected 😬 Even though this was my second child, I still underestimated the level of flexibility needed - like when nursery closes because of the snow, or they've picked up a cold for the 374th time this month. Prepare a backup plan for when an emergency happens where possible. 3️⃣ Don't be afraid to ask for help 🙊 These last few weeks felt a lot like going back to school after the summer holidays. Not just because I bought a LOT of new stationary... but because I've had to brush up on a lot of knowledge that I'd stored away for a long time. Don't be afraid to lean on others for help. 4️⃣ Celebrate the small wins 💪 Week one: I can still log in to my laptop. Win! Week three: I'm starting to regain full function of my brain again after speaking in baby talk for the last 6 months. Not everything is going to happen overnight, but do celebrate those little milestones. 5️⃣ Be kind to yourself 💚 Being a working mum isn't easy, but it WILL get better. I've had to do a lot of work on my self-compassion as well as setting realistic expectations for myself and others. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge that you're doing your best.

Well, the time has come. This week marks the last of my 12-month maternity leave. Cue all of the tears 😭🥲 For the past year, I've been wholeheartedly embracing my new role as a mother, sharing almost every waking (and sometimes sleepless) moment with my precious daughter, Eliana. From the late-night feeds to the first giggles and attempts at first words, we've been through it all together. It continues to be an incredible journey filled with love, laughter (and definitely tears), and learning. As I prepare to return to work, I'm feeling a whirlwind of emotions. There's excitement at the thought of diving back into my career, reuniting with colleagues, and embracing a new role at Ignition with new challenges. Yet, there's also fear and uncertainty about balancing the demands of work with the joys of motherhood. Will I be able to slot back into the team seamlessly? How many precious moments and milestones will I miss while working? Have I prepared our family enough for this transition? Will the mum guilt ever go away? Amidst the rollercoaster of emotions, there's also a glimmer of confidence. Confidence in my ability to adapt, grow, and thrive in this new chapter of navigating both motherhood and career. Confidence in knowing that I'm not alone on this journey. So, dear friends and fellow working mums, I'd love to hear from you. How did you navigate the transition back to work after maternity leave? What advice would you offer to someone stepping into this brave new world? Your insights, tips, and words of wisdom would mean the world to me as I embark on this exciting, albeit nerve-wracking, journey. Let's support each other, share our experiences, and celebrate the incredible strength and resilience of working mums everywhere. Here's to new beginnings and the beautiful chaos of balancing motherhood and business with grace and grit. 💪👩💼👶 #WorkingMum #MaternityLeave #BacktoWork #NewBeginnings #MotherhoodAndBusiness

Maternity leave - return to work 🤝🏼 Feeling so many things upon returning to work after a year off - a huge mix of emotions, especially after a tough (but rewarding) year. Things I’m reminding myself today to be kind to myself: 🔹It’s ok to feel worried. 🔹It’s ok to feel like I’m getting some of my identity back. 🔹It’s ok to feel like I wish I didn’t work. 🔹It’s ok to be excited about wearing ‘proper’ clothes, putting perfume on, talking to adults and applying my brain to things other than sleep schedules and mealtimes. 🔹It’s ok to want to get home in pj’s with my kids and only think about sleep schedules and mealtimes. 🔹It’s ok to want to do well for myself. 🔹It’s ok to NOT to want to rule the world! 🔹It’s ok to drink hot coffee and talk about things other than my kids. 🔹It’s ok to talk about my kids. 🔹It’s ok to get straight back into it. 🔹It’s ok to feel like I have no idea what I’m doing! Did I mention it’s ok? Being a mum is a privilege, but not my identity and being a person who works to provide for my family is a privilege I’ve worked hard for but not my identity. What I will not do - is be hard on myself for working. Nor will I be hard on myself for missing my kids! Don’t get me started on guilt - that’s a whole other post! Be kind to yourself whatever your situation. May your coffee be hot and your public transport be on time. (Mine wasn’t; sighs and sips hot coffee!) 👩🏼💻☕️ 🚊