Moms are indeed, the mother of all superheroes. Mothering is one of the most rewarding, uplifting, challenging, and frustrating experiences of a woman's life. It's no secret that returning to work-life after the birth of your baby can be overwhelming. Not only are you dealing with the guilt of leaving your baby home alone it also, does take time to get back into the groove. However, adjusting to your new work life with your new mom's responsibilities can be surely done. You are neither the first nor the last person returning from a career gap. And always understand, that a little gap in your CV doesn't mean you aren't as competent as the next capable candidate. We realize that most mothers do commonly feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and confused when they think of achieving their aspirations and thinking of resuming their careers. Not only are you concerned of your child's care and comfort, but there are also those nagging thoughts constantly revolving through your mind about being able to handle the transition back to the office.

How will I be a good mom and a good employee all together?

Will I remember how to do my job properly?

What if they find someone who works better than me?

So if you're feeling apprehensive about jumping back into the workforce after a career break, remember these tips to put you on the right path with renewed confidence.

Don't doubt your abilities

Whether you've been away from work for a year or ten, getting back to the hiring pool can be nerve-racking. However, the most important thing is that you remain confident in your skills and abilities. Never feel embarrassed or apologetic. Write down your skills and strengths, as it will give you a boost for your job search. If you're uncertain, ask friends and family the feedback as it could offer you newer insights.

Always understand, the acceptance of reality is also important. You might feel like a misfit seeing your previous colleague as a senior and your ex juniors as peers, but remember you just need to focus on learning and proving yourself with confidence.

We all need help and that's okay! And it's completely okay if you need help too!

Work-life integration

If you can work 8 hours for someone else, you can work 2 hours for yourself. Being a full-time working woman and a mother comes with great responsibilities. So, to think that you can get all your duties done in a short period is unrealistic and overwhelming.

The best way to deal with this is to dedicate time to plan your day and week for work, family, and of course, for You. Make your priority list, organize your daily schedule, communicate your upcoming priorities and events to your team and your family. This way, the colleagues and the dependents will know what to expect, when to give the support and when to step in and help you.

Get Ready for the Big Game.

Get yourself ready with some smart goal setting. What makes the difference is your determination to change the mindset and your will to work on dreams.Create an environment for yourself in which you feel empowered, encouraged, creative, and motivated.

Fix a target, a goal, and a timeline for yourself. Taking up a short course and finding out new options could be the first step. Internships and a part-time job could also help you in the initial ice-breaking. YouTube is also a storehouse for good video tutorials on just about anything. Make sure to get good recommendations so that you can use this to launch yourself to the next level.

Motherhood is special. Enjoy it, Embrace it and Live it. Use the time to know yourself, connect with the nature and foremost, Thank God for choosing you as a carrier of generations ahead.

Motherhood gives you inner strength, embraces pain, spreads love and gives new life which no other person is capable of but only mothers.

The transition from employee to mother to working mother can be a remarkable shift. Using the break as an advantage can definitely make the return to the workforce easier.

"Never feel guilty. Sometimes work will come first, sometimes your child will need to. Whatever choice you need to make, stand by it." - Victoria Moffatt, A Mom & Entrepreneur

SJiT and Tejaswani Foundation support women professionals on a sabbatical in their journey of getting back to work. You can write to us on admin@sjit.live with the subject line 'Second Innings' for more details.

Next on 'Second Innings': The Stories of working mothers on how have they made it.