Part-Time Work: Tough Choice? Not Really.

Does it come as any surprise that more working moms prefer part-time work over full-time work? I'm not going to delve into the numbers and details of this Pew Research report. As we know with all studies, numbers only say so much. But I mean, really, does this come as such a shock?  Any working mom I chat with wants the best of both worlds: to further her career/utilize her education/contribute to the family's income while still being able to enjoy all the wonders of motherhood. Working part time -- when it's done successfully -- can satisfy this goal.

Are you a mom with a part-time work situation? Would you ever go back to full-time work?

I think Self-Made Mom really captures the essentials of a good part-time working mom. An understanding boss, great co-workers, and solid childcare are key to making it work.

The transition from full-time work to part-time work can take time, and you may fumble...I know I did. I actually was working part-time shortly after returning from maternity leave. And I went back to full time because of one reason: I had a difficult time letting go of work on my days off.

My tip? On your "off" days, own your time. Own it. Do not let your employer steal those hours from you. I know this sounds dramatic and harsh, but just trust me on this one. If you let it happen once, it will happen again and again. Those "I really hate to bother you" calls will be happening all the time

I started with a 32-hour work week, but my work-load wasn't reduced to match my new hours. I ended up working on my days off because my co-workers and boss were calling me...and I made the mistake of answering their questions or dealing with their crises. I checked my email. I still had my team-required pager. And I'd respond to pages. It let my colleagues know that even though I was technically "off," I was still making myself available for work. I didn't want them to think I was just another woman "on the mom track." It was ridiculous, I know, but I was a new mom and learning to navigate some very turbulent and biased waters. The end goal of spending more time with my son was never achieved, and I was guilt-ridden (surprise!).

I ended up switching back to a 40-hour work week so I could at least get paid for the work I was doing. But after six more months of chaos and utter sadness and missing my son, I decided I had to either work part time -- and really work part time -- or quit.

I pitched a new scenario to my boss, where my job focus would be different to accommodate a 24-hour week scenario. I had a set schedule. And I made it clear that on my days off, I was completely unreachable. I was no longer going to give them my free time. And, most importantly, I was true to my word.  On those two blessed days off, I turned my cell phone and pager off. I didn't turn on my laptop until the night before I was to return to work, just to make sure there weren't any major fires to put out.  Now, there were special occasions where I did have to work on a day off, typically for a special event. But I usually asked weeks in advance if I could make myself available. I never felt obligated to come in on those days, but because my team  had respected and supported my work schedule, I genuinely wanted to return the favor by helping out. To  me, that was teamwork at it's finest.

If you jump to the conclusion that I was in a position that wasn't essential, you're wrong. I'll say that my "new" job focus ended up being one of the most vital parts of the team.  And I was damn lucky that my manager supported me and let me create this brand new role. I don't share this to toot my own horn; remember, I ended up leaving the company! My point is that you can be a strong and important contributer at work and still work part time.

Here's another secret. While I know you're never supposed to say "never," after working part time, I don't know what I could ever work full time again...even when my boys are both in school. When you work part time, you become super efficient at your job. You get your work done, and you're out.

If you really do manage to tune your job out on your off days, you have time to enjoy life.

That wasn't really a tough decision to make.

Summer Vacation: A Refresher in Efficiency and Organization

Summer vacation is in full force at the crazedparent house. My five-year-old son, Nol, started his summer camp today and like another mom in my hood, I'm already feeling the pain. It's not that I'm exhausted from driving Nol back and forth from school, or planning our post-school day activities. I actually look forward to all of that because it's quality time with my little guy. And he needs a little mama-spoiling right now.

The pain I'm feeling has more to do with the organizational extravaganza required to keep our entire family in check. When I feel like chaos is about to ensue, I go through a mass organizational fest from closets to calendars. And I start repeating the saying, "A place for everything and everything in its place."

As an independent contractor, organization, efficiency and routine are critical to survival. Just when you're getting a little too comfortable, a little kick in the arse from say, you're child's summer vacation, comes along to add a little discomfort to your flowing work days.

Okay, it wouldn't be honest of me to blame my summer working mama woes on my son's summer schedule. The truth is that on top of his reduced school hours, I'm also adjusting to my husband's new travel schedule and um, did I mention our new puppy? (An entirely separate story, of course). Tack all of that onto one busy work week and well, you've got one mom with a brain that's on overdrive.

BabyQuest: Wait to Get Pregnant to Focus on Career?

MSNBC has a new special called "BabyQuest: The Pursuit of Modern Parenthood" and the latest discussion point focuses on couples waiting to get pregnant. Not just because of women wanting to focus on their careers, but because advances in scientific technology are allowing them to wait.

The MSNBC article sparked some thoughts for Michelle Goodman of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide, where she ponders To Spawn or Not to Spawn. She writes:

"...I started to think how sad it was that career and motherhood have become so either-or for so many women in this society. How many women would have a kid sooner if more companies would make it easier for them to do so without career or financial penalty? And by “easier,” I of course mean offering flex and part-time schedules, as well as the same wages and advancement opportunities as their non-mom counterparts."

Since Michelle asked for thoughts on this topic of motherhood and careers, I'll share my story.

Working Moms Dilemma: Determining if a Prospective Employer Offers Flexibilty on the Job

Flexibility in the workplace is clearly one of the top concerns for working moms. But for moms re-entering the workforce, or looking to switch jobs in search of a more family-friendly employer, flexibility on the job is the concern.

Two questions that often come up when working moms are looking for a new job are: 1) how they can determine if the company is supportive of job flexibility and 2) how, and or at what point, should they tell a prospective employer that they want job flexibility.

I recently spoke with Marcee Harris, the director of advisory services for Catalyst, a research and advisory organization to advance women in business. Of course, there’s no simple answer to either question. As is the everyday life of a working mom, determining if you can obtain flexibility in the workplace is a true balancing act.

The best tip Harris offers can be summed up in one word: research.

The Mom Ramp: Beth Blecherman Jumps Back on the Working Mom Highway

Beth Blecherman is the “chief technology officer” for the popular Silicon Valley Moms Blog and the publisher of a hot new tech blog for moms, TechMamas. In her pre-kid days, she worked in corporate finance, systems development and then systems auditing for a company that was purchased by Roche Pharmaceuticals. She later worked for Deloitte & Touche and when she was pregnant with her first baby, Beth was the senior manager of computer process integrity. After her son was born, she worked part time for the company.  But it was her second pregnancy with twin boys –- and two months of bed rest following the delivery –- when she decided the Partner track at Deloitte needed to take a back seat. She retired.

“Even though I knew it was the right decision, it was still difficult,” she said.

Beth recently decided to jump back in the working mom world. She’s moving towards the on ramp, starting with the brave new world of blogging. Beth is a fellow blogger and friend, and every time we see each other, I always come away with new ideas about working motherhood, parenting, and truth-be-told, the best celebrity gossip (sorry, Beth, your secret is out!).

Going back to work is as tough as deciding to leave your job to become a stay at home mom. I asked Beth a few questions about this new life adventure, her new tech blog, TechMamas, and how she's doing with work/life balance.

JobMom (JM): Why did you decide to get back into the working mama game?

Beth Blecherman (BB): After spending years building a career, I found it hard to become a full time mom. I realized that spending time with my kids was the most valuable part of my day, but that I was not good at doing it all day. Having time to myself made me a better parent. I decided that for me to get the right balance in my life I needed to go back to work. I talk about this in my blog post called, "I Surrender." (Ed. note: A must read for all moms.)

JM: Did you hit any roadblocks?

BB: The first roadblock in going back to work was timing; managing three young boys was too complicated for childcare so I waited until my twins went to preschool. The next roadblock was changing careers. My last job at Deloitte was in project management, which required a big time commitment and involved rigid time deadlines. So after years of building a career, I had to find a new career that had flexible work arrangements. I only wanted to work while my kids were at school or at night. I started to wonder if that type of work existed.

I kept current on technology news after I retired and found the concept of blogs very interesting.  I was lucky to work with Jill Asher, Pamela Hornik, and Tekla Nee to establish the Silicon Valley Moms Blog. Once I started blogging, I became completely hooked. We then joined the BlogHer network, which served as my new “work” network. I am still working to make blogging a career -- the path is not as clear as in technology consulting.