Congrats if you're expecting! Things are about to change in a major way, especially if you are a first-time parent. And if you are employed, you will most likely be looking into maternity or paternity leave once the baby arrives. Bonding time, recuperation, feedings, diaper duty, and so on will fill your days and keep you up at night. But before you plan your leave, there are some things you should know. Let's delve in to five parental leave concerns so you are well-prepared and squared away leaving you better able to concentrate on your newest family member.
And baby makes three...unsplash.com
You Probably Won't Get Paid
Some people are lucky to work for a company that pays them while they are out on parental leave, but this isn't the norm. According to Fairygodboss, "American women working in the U.S. who take leave are not guaranteed any benefit payments from the federal government. In fact, most receive no pay during their leave and instead rely on federal parental leave law (Family and Medical Leave Act or FMLA) to protect their job for up to 12 weeks."
That said, everything is usually up for discussion.Parentssuggests, "You may have to negotiate your way to a plan you and your employer can both agree on that will allow you the time off you need to physically and emotionally be ready to return to work without putting your family under financial strain."
Another option? Nolorecommends exercising your "right to use your accrued vacation or sick pay during your FMLA leave, as long as you meet the other requirements of your employer's policies."
It's Not Just for Women Who Have Recently Given Birth
When we think of taking time off for a new baby, for the most part, new moms come to mind first. But mothers and fathers reserve the right to partake in FMLA, as "family" is what this act is all about. Real Simple points out, "You don't have to be pregnant to qualify either: this applies to both mothers and fathers and can be used for those who are adopting or must take care for a sick relative."
Fairygodboss adds, "Parents – both men and women – are eligible for this leave within one year of welcoming a new child."
Times have changed over the decades, and families are created and function in all sorts of ways today. Naturally, a woman who recently gave birth has additional challenges, but caring for an infant takes lots of work, something all new parents will face – FMLA making it possible for either parent (or both) to partake in.
You Can Stagger Your Leave
The 12 weeks you are entitled to doesn't have to be used up in one stretch. You can take these weeks throughout the 12-month period you work out with your employer. According to The Bump, "If you have pregnancy complications, you might want or need to take some time off before baby arrives. The rest can be taken anytime over the 12-month period."
Real Simple adds, "You can take intermittent leave in which you leave for a while, return, and then take more leave. You can even work part-time until you've taken the equivalent of 12 weeks off."
Staggering your leave can be useful by "trading off" with your partner if they can take leave too. You'll also be back and forth at work, so you can stay in the loop and on top of projects without being absent for huge chunks of time.
You are Not Necessarily Entitled to Leave
But what about FMLA? See, that all depends on how long you have been employed at your current job and how many people work for the company. Too little time put in at a company means they aren't obligated to give you leave. As Real Simple explains, "Your employer doesn't have to give you family leave if you've worked at the company for under a year, or if you've worked fewer than 1,250 hours during that year. A company is also exempt if it has fewer than 50 employees."
Before you regret working for that small start-up, note, "You may still be entitled to a leave, albeit a shorter one, under the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act. That law, which covers companies with 15 or more workers, requires employers to treat pregnant employees the same as any other disabled worker," as per Parents.
You'll Need to Get Yourself Ready for Return
After up to 12 weeks away from work, you're going to be more skilled at parenting, but a bit rusty when it comes to work. You've been busy with baby but the "show must go on," and your co-workers have been at it in your absence. To pick up where you left off, you'll need to prepare yourself for the challenge.
The founder of AaronB Fitness, an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer for over 17 years has important advice. "You should realize that gearing up mentally and physically to return to the office after a long stay at home with the baby is challenging. But you can prepare for it. You've probably lined up help to look after the baby once you return to the office. Take advantage of that a week or two sooner to allow you to get some physical activity back into your routine, such as a morning walk or jog, or a class at the gym. And try to get on a regular bedtime/wake-time schedule that will match your schedule when you're back to work. Do those two things ahead of time and you'll hit the ground running when you return to the office."
Welcome to the world!unsplash.com
Your leave will give you those much-needed initial weeks with your new child. Learn what your company's policies are, what you are able to manage for your family, and how you will transition during this process. Welcome to the family!
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.