Returning to work after an extended leave can feel like fitting a square peg into a round hole. The once-familiar routine now seems foreign, and the tasks that once felt manageable loom like mountains. It’s as though time has shifted in your absence, leaving you scrambling to catch up.
That’s how I’m feeling this week, returning to work from eight months of parental leave. After days, weeks, and months of spending each day and night with a babbling (and adorable) toddler who has kicked me in every single place imaginable for choosing the wrong toy, I’ve made my return to work—and adulting. And in all honesty, I feel lost.
The transition is more than just physical; it’s a mental and emotional recalibration. Your mind, accustomed to a more leisurely and relaxed pace, now must switch gears to focus and productivity. But it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. Doubt creeps in, questioning whether you still possess the skills and stamina to excel in your role.
The pace feels relentless, like trying to sprint a marathon. Emails flood your inbox, phone calls and voicemails start to pile up, and deadlines hover ominously. Each task demands attention, pulling you in a dozen different directions at the same time. Walking in circles is not an exaggeration in the least. It’s overwhelming, suffocating, and exhausting.
Meanwhile, colleagues chatter away, seemingly fluent in the workplace language, while you struggle to regain your footing. You smile and nod, hoping to blend in, but inside, you feel like an imposter, wondering if you’ll ever regain your former confidence and competence. You can’t help but feel a bit useless. A bit obsolete.
But amidst the chaos, there are glimmers of hope. Small victories remind you that you’re not starting from scratch and still have the skills and resilience to thrive. With each completed task and conquered challenge, your confidence grows, gradually erasing the self-doubt that once held you captive.
Slowly but surely, you find your rhythm again. The jumble of tasks begins to organize itself into a coherent flow, and the once-daunting workload becomes more manageable. You start to reconnect, remembering why you chose this path in the first place.
At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, the transition should become less daunting. You’ll no longer feel like a stranger in your own workplace but rather a seasoned traveller returning home. And while there are days you’ll wonder why you even left home in the first place, the simple act of carrying on an “adult” conversation may just be its own reward.
That being said, coming soon on the CJBuzz… the secret language of toddlers and the meaning of ‘BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA PFFFTTTTTT.”
*sigh*
The CJBuzz 