6 smart ideas to restart your careers post motherhood

There’s truly no joy greater than holding your little bundle of joy, as a mother. With that joy come responsibilities, which definitely take some adjusting to — a life that has heretofore been all about ‘I’ and ‘me’ now metamorphoses into ‘my baby’. The baby then takes precedence over everything else and having a full-time career seems like a thing of the past! The not-so-desirable outcome: today we have more women who have left jobs for full-time motherhood than those who have never had jobs at all, displacing a lot of skilled and trained professional talent from the workforce.

In the course of my job, I virtually ‘meet’ a lot of mothers who, though they had given up their careers in favour of motherhood, are now choosing to prove their mettle beyond the household. Call them part-time, work-from-home or flexible work options, moms are now juggling between a baby and work without stepping out of their homes.

Based on personal and community experiences, here are a few ideas that can help you have the best of both worlds!

1. Network marketing and sales

If you have a flair for sales and are something of a social butterfly, network marketing opportunities with companies like Oriflame, Avon, Amway, and Herbalife can be something you can try. Based on their business models and your time investment, you can make a decent buck on a monthly basis.

1. TTT — Train the Trainer

Several new-age moms are pursuing courses in teaching and learning methods like the Montessori method and Waldorf philosophy, which not only open up a new world of learning for their own kids but possibilities to share this knowledge with other children as well. Mothers have opted for either starting their own playschool, or offering educational products and services based on these learning methods.

1. Women- and children-oriented ventures

There are many mompreneurs who have pursued their interests and set up businesses like baking, jewellery, children’s products (clothing, toys, cloth diapers, educational aids) and developed a lot of innovative concepts like kids’ travel, baby jewellery, and several others.

1. Family businesses

Many women join hands with a family member either to help with a family business or set up a new one altogether. One just needs some guidance and a short learning period, and you are good to go!

1. Interest-based opportunities

Sometimes, mothers even step back and utilise this stay-at-home time to learn a new skill like Reiki, yoga, baking, music, and photography and pursue short-term courses either offline or online. The options in this category are endless as it purely depends on one’s will and interest areas. From handmade books and crafts to Montessori learning aids, and fondant-layered wedding cakes to innovative munchies — women are giving even larger businesses a tough time!

1. Internet-based businesses

The internet has today created several opportunities which were hitherto unheard of. Many internet-based businesses give women the opportunity of taking up part-time roles for certain functions which can be done purely over email, social media, and calls. Women have the flexibility to manage their working hours, allowing them to give their children the care they need. The best part of it is that women don’t have to step out of their houses for the sake of making money. Women-centric job portals list such openings. Other freelance opportunities include content writing, multimedia consultancy, graphic designing, social media marketing, proofreading and editing, recruitment and training, among others.

So brush up your skills, take up even smaller roles to be at the top of the game and keep refreshing your résumé, making it easier for job providers to find you. The number of part-time and mom-friendly opportunities is clearly on the rise!

Getting back to work may not necessarily mean working several hours a day, or compromising on your time with children; just a little bit of zest, and there will be many options at your behest! Financially, such options may not be as rewarding as a full-time job, but they definitely help you realise your self-worth beyond just being a mother! If you delve a bit deeper, you will realise that any passion pursued well can offer opportunities for monetisation in future.

With a change in social outlook, moms today are dramatically changing the way women have been living their lives for centuries. If you are one waiting for the right opportunity to knock at your door, seek inspiration from our community and get started soon!

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)