"It takes a village to raise a child" 

Motherhood is a crucial time in the career of a woman. It will present challenges when reconciling work demands with family responsibilities. Being a balanced working mother is an art.   

In this context, work-life balance means providing women with the opportunity to combine their role as a mother with a fulfilling career, but unfortunately today we still encounter many companies with rigid rules, which continue to see motherhood as an obstacle or an impediment to producing at the same level as before.  

For this reason, faced with the difficulties of reconciliation, most women are forced to take the decision to take a break in their professional careers and dedicate 100% of their time to caring for their children. Or, on the contrary, we continue to work, thus separating ourselves from our children much earlier than would be physically and mentally healthy for both of us. 

Here are some revealing facts and tips for this stage of your career.

Being a working mother increases productivity 

According to several studies carried out in recent years, the conclusion is clear: being a mother increases productivity, thus breaking the myth that has been haunting us for years. Especially if the new mother is in a company whose corporate culture supports motherhood and work-life balance through adapted actions and strategies. The skills that are enhanced are the following: 

• Multitasking: parenting involves attending to different needs at the same time. This ability is beneficial in the work environment, where multiple projects and responsibilities need to be managed.  
• Organization and time management: Mothers often develop advanced skills in organizing and managing time efficiently, which can also transfer to a work environment. We are able to prioritize, plan and meet deadlines effectively. 
• Resilience and stress management: Constant challenges and periods of stress are the bread and butter of parenting. We learn to adapt to changing situations, manage stress better and overcome obstacles.  
• Resourcefulness: we find ourselves constantly making crucial decisions, always thinking of our children's well-being, and solving everyday problems. Translated to the professional sphere, we are able to make agile and effective decisions to face obstacles and challenges.
• Commitment and loyalty to the company. Companies that provide support and flexibility tend to generate greater commitment and loyalty. We value the support we receive and are more willing to make an effort and contribute. 

 

And not only that. Parenting is the most impactful work in society, as it basically ensures our survival as a species. Therefore, companies providing facilities for mothers not only contribute to better performance, greater job satisfaction, and fostering an inclusive environment but also have a direct impact on the future of the next generation.

The work-life balance at Luxe Talent 

At Luxe Talent we know first-hand the advantages of having a working mother on the team, and we take on all the growth and learning that this experience brings, transforming it into new challenges and opportunities to continue developing professionally.  

  

These are some of the facilities we provide for work-life balance 

• Work flexibility: flexible working hours, remote work, and reduced working hours. This allows us to better manage family and work responsibilities, gives us the ability to adapt our working hours to parenting needs, and in turn increases commitment and job satisfaction.  
• A supportive work environment is essential. Mothers can face emotional and psychological challenges during the transition to motherhood and work-life balance. We believe it is essential that teams are aware and relate empathetically and implement a progressive adaptation process after the return to work. 
• Professional development and growth opportunities: each situation and each person is unique, so we tailor development to each team member's strengths and personal situation. This fosters commitment and motivation while allowing us to continue to advance our careers while balancing family responsibilities.  In the last year, two members of Team Luxe Talent Iberia have been new mothers and have been able to grow professionally in the areas of training and management. Like Laura Vaquero, promoted to Training Manager, or me, Desirèe Montero, as Team Leader Barcelona HUB.

 

In short, maternity and work-life balance are two important areas that require attention to ensure equal opportunities in the professional sphere. It is necessary to implement policies and measures that promote work-life balance and remove the barriers that mothers face in the workplace.

Tips for a working mother

Keep in mind that balancing work and motherhood is a unique and personal process. There is no perfect formula, the key is to find the balance that works best for you and your family. Here are some basic tips that have helped me personally in this process:

• Practice self-care and prioritize your well-being. From my point of view, this is the most important thing and the first thing tend to we forget. Make sure you get enough rest, eat properly, keep your body active, and find time to do activities that make you happy. Self-care is essential to maintain a healthy balance. 
• Seek support and vent whenever you need it. Lean on your network, delegate tasks, and, little by little, work on self-demand and letting go of guilt. 
• Communicate with your manager and your colleagues. Be transparent with your situation and express your new needs. This will help you feel more relaxed and connected with your team and will make it easier to find solutions that benefit both you and the company. 
• Set clear boundaries, define specific times and spaces for each area of your life, and above all, respect them (especially if you are teleworking). 
• Before becoming a mother you were probably able to retain more information (now practically all the space in your brain is occupied by your baby!) so use organizational tools to plan your tasks and activities, which will allow you to visualize and distribute your responsibilities more easily. 
• Don't expect to get everything done, and certainly not overnight. You are already a "Superwoman" for having created life with your body and brought it into the world. Finding a balance between paid work and motherhood is complicated but possible, although it takes time. Value your efforts and celebrate the small achievements.

(...) As a society, we must care for mothers because humanity depends on their care. What would the world be without mothers? May we one day be able to see and recognize the incalculable value of mothers. Because without us, there is no present and no future. 

Laia Casadevall.  

Mother, midwife, teacher, disseminator, scientist and activist.

If you want more tips, follow us on our social networks: LUXE TALENT on Instagram, LUXE TALENT on LinkedIn, or in our academy RETAIL ACADEMY on Instagram, RETAIL ACADEMY on LinkedIn.