THIS DIGITAL LIFE
Dominique McMullan on maternity leave FOMO
Ihave to admit, I’m so jealous. Six whole months without work!” This was a common sentiment in the last few weeks before I left for maternity leave. I heard it from more than one person around the office. Six months without setting an alarm, writing a report or sitting in rush hour traffic. It does sound pretty magic. Yes, I know, there will be sleepless nights, explosive nappies and tears (both mine and baby’s). And yes, there will be a baby. An actual, real-life, human baby. But right now, six months with no work is what’s front and centre of my mind. There are only so many things a woman can think about at once.
I’m writing this on the first Monday of maternity leave. Stretched out ahead of me is a seemingly endless period in which I will not work. For 182 days, I will not call a meeting, I will not host a panel discussion and I will not manage a team. For 4,380 hours, I will not commission fabulous writing, I will not record a podcast and I will not be “in on the chat” with approximately 50 brilliant women (and a few good men). What is most bizarre, however, is the realisation that I will really miss all of those things.
Leaving work was hard. This surprised me. I thought I would walk out the door delighted. Instead, it was a bit of a confusing anti-climax. For the last week I felt delighted, but I also felt sad. I expected the joy but not the melancholy. Internally, I was lamenting and celebrating. On reflection, I realised that while
I was looking forward to what lay ahead, my future self felt… left out. I suppose you could call it maternity leave FOMO.
On the first day of a series of months she’ll be off work, DOMINIQUE McMULLAN
strangely misses being at her desk, as maternity leave kicks in.
“For 182 days, I will not call a meeting, host a panel discussion, record a podcast or manage a team. What is most bizarre is
that I will really miss all of those things.”
As a woman who has worked hard for the last decade, I am attached to my job. Much of my self-worth is built into a
9 to 5 structure. I wasn’t always like this, but now, because I’m doing what I love, and have built something I am proud of, my work is a huge part of me.
It feels counterintuitive to put a pause on that, when I am in a better place than I ever have been.
I have just been announced as group digital and innovation director at IMAGE Media, a title I am so looking forward to developing upon my return.
But until then, I recognise that
I’m one of the lucky Irish women who will be able to enjoy maternity leave.
The fact is, Irish employers do not give women “well-paid” maternity leave (defined as 66 per cent of normal earning or more). Colette Sexton revealed in a recent article for IMAGE.ie that a study of countries in Europe found that only Ireland and Slovakia fail to offer women this benefit. This is not something that is referred to, or even known about, among working Irish women, until the day when they have to figure it out. Working hours and environments for mothers follow much the same pattern.
Many women will experience maternity leave FOMO.
But many women will experience it accompanied by a reality that returning to work will most likely be difficult, and the challenges they will face will not be fully understood around the office water cooler. It is time this changed.
I’m lucky to work for a female-focused company that truly recognises the impact of motherhood on a working life. Even with this, maternity leave, motherhood and returning to work will no doubt have its great moments and its awful bits. As all of life does.
But I have to say, not to get all hashtag blessed on you, but on this sunny April morning,
I’m looking forward to it all.