After centuries of campaigning for equal pay and a lot of hard work, as women we have now reached the heights of the best paying, successful careers. However just because the workplace is now fairer and we have the ability to be able to earn as much as our male counterparts, in practice it’s still difficult for us women. And that’s because we have to take significant time off during late pregnancy and early motherhood if we want to have children. We’re often told we can’t ‘have it all’ and while this isn’t true it can certainly be difficult. If you want to be able to earn well and have your job or career but also be a mother, here are a few things to bear in mind.
Be Flexible About Your Career Path
Having goals is fantastic, and setting your sights on a certain role and working to achieve this is incredible. However, life isn’t perfect and so it’s worth being flexible with your career. For example, is it essential that you reach the top of your career, or would you be happy in a less demanding role once you become a parent? If you’re in a job that you’re not happy in and want a better-paid position, there are lots of online programs you can do, take the RN to BSN online program for example. This would allow you to study in your own time, either around childcare commitments or around your current job. And once you’re qualified, you could start applying for work in this field. What was once important to you might not be once you have kids, and your priorities might shift to wanting a role that’s a little more relaxed or with better hours. Something to bear in mind when it comes to setting your goals.
Wait to Have Children
More and more women are delaying having children, as this gives them more time to get established in their careers. Once you reach a certain level, your position and authority is safe- meaning you can take the time out to have a baby and return to your job afterwards. The only issue here is that fertility decreases with time, one way around this if you want to work on your career right now would be to have your eggs frozen. That way you have a backup plan for motherhood later in life. This can seem like an extreme option, but there’s no denying that career is important. If you don’t feel comfortable starting a family until you’re in a good position financially, something like this can avoid disappointment later down the line,
Start Your Own Business
When you’re the boss instead of an employee, you have a lot more flexibility than you would have with a fixed job. You could spend the years before you have children getting it established, that way when you fall pregnant you could simply hire someone to take your place. It means everything is running and being taken care of but still turns a profit. Once you’re ready to go back to work, you could let the employee go or give them a different position in your company. As you’re the boss there’s no worry about being replaced or losing authority, and everything is all on your terms. If you’re just starting out in your career and are thinking of the future, setting up your own business is something to consider. if you put the work in while you are young and get it all set up, you can reap the rewards of the profits as well as the flexible working hours later on when you start your family. You could either work from home, perhaps buying or selling or providing services. Another option would be to work mobile. Mobile beauticians, photographers, computer repair workers and other types of jobs are easier to fit around childcare. You work for yourself so you can choose your hours, and its generally easier to fit work around your other commitments.
Being a ‘woman who has it all’ is all about finding the balance between career and children. On one hand you want to be in the best financial position before starting your family, but on the other you might not wait to wait for too long. It might be a case of being flexible with your career path or choose a flexible job to allow you to do both.
