Thoughts on Going Back to Work

If you don’t already know, I’ve been off of work for the last year after having my first baby. Today’s the last day of my leave, and tomorrow I return to full-time work at the library.

I can’t complain about returning to work. For one thing, I’m incredibly lucky to live in an area where I’m given the opportunity to stay home for such a long time with my little one. A lot of people don’t get that kind of time off, so I’m very grateful for what I’ve had. And, of course, I like my job. I love being a librarian, and I always knew I’d eventually be heading back to work. I’m looking forward to being a “professional” again (although I am going to miss my yoga/sweat/pajama pants!)

Still, it’s going to be hard. For me, for my son, and for my husband, too. It’ll be a huge adjustment period, and I suspect for the next month or so, I’m going to be exhausted. I also figure it’ll probably take some time before I’m back into the writing swing, which means a serious lull in my work there. It’s a bit of a sad time, and a scary time, but I know it’ll be okay once we’re settled into our new routine.

And I thought it might do me well to remind myself of some of the things I accomplished in my year off. I raised a newborn into a near-toddler, for starters. That’s the most important–and absolute best–way I used my time, and it was the reason I had that time in the first place! But I also read some great books (not to mention the entire Grimm collection!), I wrote stories I love, and I even got my first novel published! It was not, in any sense, wasted time. It was simply the greatest.

So there are just a few of my rambling thoughts. I’ll try to do an update once a few weeks have passed. In the meantime, wish me luck as I return to work!