{"id":199,"date":"2025-02-12T10:00:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T10:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/changing-ourselves\/?p=199"},"modified":"2025-02-11T17:05:59","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T17:05:59","slug":"bringing-my-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/changing-ourselves\/2025\/02\/12\/bringing-my-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing my best"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m <\/span>sure we can all relate to a time when we, a colleague, or family member have been away from the workplace for a while. Whatever the circumstances, life events that <\/span>pull us away from the workplace can mean there\u2019s change to navigate; they also offer us important learning opportunities. It can feel daunting, exciting (depending on the circumstance), and uncertain all at once.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve recently returned from maternity leave; before my leave, I remember asking myself at the beginning: What can I cover before I go (being as realistic as I could be!)? What does success look like for the team covering my work? What knowledge, information and insight can I share before I leave, and how? These were all questions I could explore, communicate and act on before my leave. Then the question \u2026 how will I manage the transition back to work? How can I bring \u2018my best\u2019 back?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I soon realised it was unhelpful for me to think about returning to work and what this might look like \u2013 I was about to embark on a life-changing event, and I needed to go on that journey of learning to be able to explore the question in my mind. For me, it was about being present in the moment and not focusing too much on what the future holds. And I did just that.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fast forward 11 months and I returned to the question \u2018how will I manage my return to work and be the best I can be?\u2019; it got me thinking about what this might feel like for someone going through the process, and what might help. Here are some personal reflections:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n