How I Find Success in My Role as a New Working Mother

How I Find Success in My Role as a New Working Mother I began working for Ingersoll Rand Inc. in January of 2015 as the Social Recruiting Program Lead. Im the face behind all of the social posts you read, but Im also a new mom. In August of 2018, my husband, Trey, and I welcomed ur first son, George. As a first-time mom, I didnt know what to expect about maternity leave or what the transition back to work would look like. Luckily, Ingersoll Rand made the transition easy.This welches a tremendous help. It enabled me to slowly ease back into my role and learn how to balance being a mom and an employee without feeling like I was failing at both. In addition to a phased return, I was also able to keep a flexible work schedule where I can work from home a few days a week. This has been a saving grace for me and my family and has provided continued work-life balance. I am grateful to work for a company that supports me as an employee and in my career growth, but also in my journey as a mom .Recently, I spoke to Fairygodboss about my experience as a working mom, my advicefor new mothers who are navigating work and motherhood,and how Ingersoll Rand has supported me throughout this transition. Check out my responses below.What type of programs did/does Ingersoll Rand offer to new and expectant mothers?Ingersoll Rand offers paid parental leave for four weeks, in addition to paid leave of absence. While theres not a policy in place, my company does let us phase our return to work, by allowing us to work part-time for a set period of time then return full-time after parental leave. They also offer maternity coaching and various return-to-work programs, etc.How has your morning routine changed since becoming a mom?Ingersoll Rands office is about an hour from my house, so since having my son, I work from home mora often. This helps my husband and I balance morning drop off at daycare. He and I are also both early risers and typically start working between 7 and 730 a.m., so I wake up a little bit earlier now to get my son and me ready for the day.Why do you think your company is a particularly great place to be a working mom?I would say its a combination of our parental leave, phased return-to-work and flexible/remote work options that makes working here so great Like most infants in daycare, my son gets sick often, and my flexible work and supportive coworkers make it easy for me to meet his needs. Ingersoll Rand also offers great health benefits as well as back-up childcare, should I need itHow has your role as a new mom made you a better employee?I think being a mom has made me better at time management. Now that Im a mom and I try to compartmentalize family time and work time, I need to make the most of every minute.Whats your go-to stress-relief activity or routine?Cooking I have always loved to cook. It reminds me of helping my mom make dinner when I was a child. My mom worked and she would have a homemade meal on the table every night. I dont kno w how she did it, but there is something rewarding about my family coming together to enjoy a meal and talk about our day.What kinds of boundaries to you follow (if any) to separate work and family time?From 530-730 p.m., I am in complete mom-mode. I keep my computer away from me and try to stay away from any devices so I can spend time with my son.Whats your 1 tip for new moms who are navigating the delicate balance of working and mothering?Try not to be hard on yourself as you adjust to working motherhood. Its hard and it takes time to find a routine that works for your family, so take the time you need.Part of this article was originally published oningersollrand.com.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Ingersoll Rand.Find a job there today