About three years ago, I quit my job as an editor at POPSUGAR Moms to stay at home with my new son and 3-year-old daughter. "Huh?" you may be asking yourself, "am I not reading a story written by you for POPSUGAR Moms?" Well, yes, because just a few months after I officially resigned, my boss offered me the chance to come back as a freelance contributor, meaning I could write a little and be with my kids a lot more.
I jumped at the chance, knowing I have the great fortune of working for a company that supports women in every stage of their lives, respects their ability to determine what life-work balance is best for them, and offers non-traditional working situations. (The fact that I chose an inherently flexible career also didn't hurt). However, I also know I am one of the lucky few women to have this kind of effortlessly balanced work-mom life.
Over the last year I've witnessed many mom friends ship their youngest kid off to school only to realize that they had dozens of empty hours in their lives (part awesome, part weird, part boring). Suddenly, that old motivation to find a fulfilling, well-compensated job returned, but after years out of the workforce, they didn't know where to begin. Should they become Pilates instructors, open Etsy boutiques, or beg for the jobs they left over half a decade before?
If you're in a similar boat, here's how to start to get your career mojo back.