Going Back To Work After 15 Years At Home

You guys! I have something to tell you and I’m really excited about it. I got a muther effing job! That’s right, I’m going back to work after 15 years at home. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean I’m leaving you or my blog. I’ll still be here sharing my stories, recipes and adventures. It’s been a long time coming and I’m happier than I’ve been in a long long time. 

For the past few years I’ve been in a constant state of worry. What else is new, I’m a mom of 4 daughters with an entrepreneur husband, worry is a full-time job. However this particular worry was more about me. What am I going to do next? What do I want to be when ‘they’ grow up? I spent 15 years birthing babies, raising babies, driving children to activities (which I still do), volunteering for field trips and classroom duties and making sure I was available at a moments notice 24/7. In a blink of an eye my babies are now all in either high school or middle school and the sad but glorious fact of life is, they don’t need me at home as much anymore.

I know, I know, for those of you who have been full time parents with a full time job, you’re probably rolling your eyes at me right now saying, ‘if only I could have unlimited time at home, I would never be bored’. I’m here to tell you, the grass is always greener. And I kept that very idea in mind when I was deciding what kind of job I wanted to do.

The first thing I did was make a list of qualities I was looking for in a company. Let’s call this a pre-interview. Long gone are the days where I was looking for the job that would make the most money or have the best avenue for moving up. My new priorities were: flexible schedule, part time hours, ability to move my body around (not a desk job) and a fun work culture. I’m far too old to go back to work hating it every single day.

Benefits are important for any family. Having good medical, dental and prescription coverage is essential but aside from that what other benefits can I get for me and my family? Is there a savings plan? Can I get a discount on products or services that are sold by this company?

This turned out to be the list of things I put on my wish list. The next step was to find a company that fit this profile AND had a job that I both wanted to do and was qualified to do because remember, I was at home for 15 years and did not go to university (something I wish I had done but that’s another story all together).

A quick Google search for ‘best companies to work for in Calgary’ gave me a great starting point for my search. There were companies in tech, finance, medical, oil and gas, accounting, legal, investments, land development and many more. The next search I did was on a job posting site for Calgary jobs. There were a lot of interesting jobs, some in fields I could easily step into but were quickly eliminated by the thought of being tied to a desk for 8 hours a day. No thanks!

So the list goes like this:

Flexible schedule

Part time hours

Non desk job

Fun work culture

Great benefits

Employee perks

Non university qualifications

Yes, at 41 I’m going to be specific and I’m going to be picky. I’ve heard over and over that ‘time is your most valuable commodity, spend it wisely’ and I finally understand it. This job didn’t have to be my ‘dream job’ but it had to allow me to live a ‘dream life’ which simply means, balance and being happy to get up and go to work as much as I’m happy to get up and not go to work.

Reading this it sounds like a had my sh%t together and made the decision to get a job, wrote out a resume, googled companies and then got a job. Boom, just like that! Nope, this process happened over many many months if not years. I started thinking about a job at least 3 years ago. I started a resume 13 months ago. Transition is hard you guys! Self doubt is a powerful thing and fear can be paralyzing. If you’re in this phase too, remember to be gentle with yourself. Take time. When you’re ready, it will happen.

I’m over 3 months into my new job and I am so happy. I found a job that ticked ALL the boxes on my list. I NAILED the interview despite wanting to die in the car 5 minutes before I walked in. This job has meant so much to me. It means independence. It means personal growth. I feel like I’m contributing something to my family that isn’t emotional or mental if that makes sense. I’m getting out of the house to fill my time but I also get a lot of time off to recharge and reconnect with my family unit (the introvert in me is extra happy) and mostly, I’m proud of the fact that I did the thing!

I’m 41, a mother of 4 daughters, wife to a crazy entrepreneur, lifestyle blogger, manager of my household and a shiny new WestJetter at the Calgary Airport.

I did the thing!