Yay, I'm going back to work! And no— it's not a seamless transition.

We can acquire all kinds of training and further education. But there is no training for having children.

And that's exactly what makes it perfect: For the first time, there are no fixed structures, no guidelines. No right or wrong – just your own personal path.

But when mothers return to work, they often come to a realization that hardly anyone can understand unless they have experienced it themselves.

The first days, weeks, and months after birth change everything. Everyday life changes completely overnight. Priorities shift. Time becomes fluid. The word "plannable" takes on a whole new meaning.

Back at work, these same experiences resonate. We bear a responsibility that doesn't involve process optimization, employee management, meeting preparation, or project completion. It's a feeling, a connection, a task we've longed for – but one we can't "manage" with rational reason or professional experience. Because there are no frameworks, no statistics, no plans, and certainly no predictions.

And that's exactly where it begins: Our minds are drawn back to the last day of work, to the everyday routine we know. But our circumstances have changed – and so have we ourselves.

Many moms are trying to manage the new situation so that things go back to "the way they used to." Remote work after hours is a given. Sleep deprivation is laughed off. Uncertainties or discomfort are addressed, but quickly resolved for the benefit of everyone. Unforeseen absences are compensated for with even more effort at the next opportunity.

And on the outside? Employers, colleagues, and teams are happy about the return after three months of maternity leave – the joy is celebrated. And what are the expectations? Exactly the same as before: full commitment, staying put until the work is done, filling in for colleagues, taking on short-term tasks, working overtime. Just as it was before.

And that is precisely the reason why it is so difficult for many mothers to combine family and career: their own expectations of themselves – and the external expectations that we believe we have to meet.

And where should the focus really be? And where does real relief come from?

Skilled worker shortage : We have enough qualified mothers who want to work – if the conditions are right.

Young talents : They grow up exactly where we mothers have space to combine career and family.

Community : A change in thinking, more tolerance and flexibility open doors – and make so many things possible.

✨In the end, it's not about returning to "the way we were before"—it's about redesigning family and work life in a new and conscious way. Only then can true work-life balance be achieved, which is a win-win for everyone.