“Whenever I walk through the door at home I am out of office, then when I walk through the door at work I am 100% at work…This is easy as long as you are not addicted to your smartphone!”

Now, I know that a blog about the logistical challenges of implementing flex in the workplace is not the most inspiring topic in the world.  As a passionate advocate of flexible working, it is all too easy for me to reel off reasons why it is so powerful.  The benefits to business are not in dispute - proven advantages include a happier, more productive workforce, less sick days taken by staff, increased profits, I could (and on many occasions, do) go on …………… But what people don’t hear about quite so often is exactly HOW businesses make flexible working work within their organisation.  

Perhaps it was the return of confidence or the break away from lego building, but something was telling me I was just so ready for a new opportunity. I was excited to tell people about what I was doing, I became EVEN more efficient with my time (if that is physically possible when already having a young family), it was like I had a new lease of life and, admittedly, such an ego boost, as things seemed to be going so well and clicking into place with work & life and the juggle. 

The phrase ‘returning to work after children’ seems to suggest to some people that you’re looking for a job that will be some sort of tepid compromise…something that you only accept because it works between school drop off at 8:03 and your youngest’s badminton lesson at 15:20.  NO THANK YOU!   I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love our three children and I will of course be claiming at least fifty percent of the glory if any of them end up on an Olympic podium, badminton racquet in hand but my career is exactly that – mine.  Returning to work after children for me was first and foremost about finding something that would be a clear and positive progression in a long and happy career.