Totally Unbalanced

Yesterday I was interviewed by a reporter from the Edmonton Journal, for a 3 part series she's writing on Motherhood and Careers.

We covered everything from how to know when it's the best time career wise to take the plunge (if I had the answer to that...), as well as how to plan for a maternity leave, and how to transition back into the workforce.

I'll admit it made me think about issues I faced through four maternity leaves, that I hadn't given much thought to lately. My first maternity leave was almost 18 years ago - I vaguely recall worrying about my shoulder-padded suits not fitting me after my first trimester - and my last leave was about six years ago, when I made the decision to drop the briefcase and turn my maternity leave into my eternity leave.

The worst thing about the first pregnancy and subsequent maternity leave from work is the total unknown - about how you'll react to having a new, bigger priority, and the juggling that goes with it. And, I have to say, the best thing about the first pregnancy and mat leave is the same thing - the total unknown. It's an adventure at the best of times, and a soul sucking experience at the worst.

We talked about the elusive balance, which for me is always more about setting goals and managing trade-offs.

Like deciding to skip a morning of writing and heading out for a well-needed pedicure.

I'll post a link to the articles when they run, but only if I was able to sound sensible about the whole thing.