29 Jan Careering Ahead: Find Your Purpose

Melbourne life coach and mother of two children, nine and six, Lauren Wills works with mothers all over the world to help find their purpose. She shares her advice for mothers wanting to make a career change that’s perfect for them and their families.

“No two mothers are the same but I do see a lot of clients who feel they have lost their sense of self since becoming a mother. What does seem to be fairly consistent is the age of their children. I see a lot of clients whose children are about to begin school.

It’s a real time of transition, not just for the child but for mothers too.

Many mothers begin to question ‘what’s next?’ They are looking to clarify how they want their future to look. And almost all mothers need help in carving out time for themselves in the chaos that is motherhood!”

She has these tips for mothers wanting to return to paid work:

Validate

Give yourself permission to focus on your career; don’t feel guilty. You have just as much right to one as anyone else does.

Scrutinise

“I encourage all mums to get to know their core values,” said Lauren. “Those fundamental beliefs guide us in making decisions and living an authentic life. My core values are connection, family and growth and my career choice reflects this. There are lots of great tools available online to help you determine your core values.”

Imagine

Think of the career you want and then get creative to make it work for your lifestyle. “I see a lot of mothers who choose a job/career based on it fitting with school hours or family commitments and they aren’t very happy. Think about what you would enjoy doing when you are sixty and your children are grown.”

Investigate

Speak with other mums about their experiences, not just your friends (who will likely have similar views) but mums at daycare and school as well as women in your industry. “Most people love to share their hard-won knowledge. And the more perspectives you get, the more you will realise that you really do have more options than you think you do.”

Scaffold

Get a good support system in place. Get your partner on board, if you have one. Make sure they understand that childcare is equally their responsibility; both paying for it and accommodating it.

Image by Scott Webb Photography