I just returned from being on maternity leave after having my first baby, and when people said that a baby would change everything, they weren’t kidding. From when I sleep to how I spend my free time, that little angel has turned my life around, upside down, and inside out – and the funny thing is, I don’t mind it one bit. Before she entered the world, I had a vague idea of how my life would be altered, but I didn’t realize she would teach me a few leadership lessons too.
Prioritize
For a slightly OCD personality, it’s never been easy for me to let go and accept that some things just aren’t going to get done. But when someone is looking to you for their very survival, your priorities change, and that act of learning to prioritize has carried over to my work as well. Where I once would take the time to keep my desk neat and tidy even while working on a hot deadline, now I wait to clean up until the project is done. And, instead of answering emails as soon as I get them, I now prioritize them on my to-do list.
Delegate
With learning to let things go, I’ve also had to learn to delegate, and not the kind of delegation where you let someone do the project but you stand over their shoulder critiquing their every move. No, whether it’s letting Daddy take the night shift or a colleague take on my pet project, delegating means truly letting it go and trusting someone else enough to do it right.
Push Back
Having never been what others would call aggressive or forceful, I didn’t quite believe others when they talked about the “momma bear” syndrome. But, to my shock, even before my little girl arrived, I suddenly started speaking up, raising questions, and meeting conflicts head-on. And even more shocking, no one seemed to mind, including me! Apparently becoming someone’s mother made me realize that my experience and opinion mattered.
Remember What’s Important
I’ve always been a big advocate of work/life balance, and I would never describe myself as a workaholic. But like any dedicated professional, I’ve carried work home with me many a night, even if just in the form of stress and worries. Life is too short for that, though, especially when you just have a few hours between dinner and bedtime to spend time with your baby. So, now I do what I can when I’m at the office, and then lay it aside when I’m at home.
I’m thankful for my child for many reasons, including how she’s already made me a better person. I just never knew she’d make such a positive impact so quickly in every area of my life, including my work life.
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