 Breadcrumbs

  



   ![How To Succeed As A Working Mum](https://media.sheerluxe.com/xsie9ycSeB0dKcavDyr4lobrXEQ=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2023%2F07%2Fsl-bcf-edition-180723-tobi-asare-articlehero.jpg?itok=Htld4cz1)

  

 

 ![How To Succeed As A Working Mum](https://media.sheerluxe.com/FIQBD5Td2leDS_udaZ3le8fRCoU=/400x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2023%2F03%2F2-tobi.jpg?itok=mKqAXlDd)

 

 

 



 

 

[Careers](/life/careers)

 /  08 March 2023  

#  How To Succeed As A Working Mum  


Although it’s important to mark how far women have come in the world of work, many of us are still forced to make difficult decisions around being a mum and having a career. For International Women’s Day 2023, we sat down with Tobi Asare – author of new book The Blend – to find out if and how we can win on both fronts…  


ByHarriet Russell

  /  

[ Save To My Favourites ](/user/login?destination=/markdownify/node/35712)

 

 

All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products.

 



 

 

 

 

### **Introduce us to the book, Tobi…**

When I was approached with the idea of writing a book, I knew almost instantly that I wanted to write a guide for women to unpack the journey of working motherhood in an honest and empowering way. I wanted it to be the kind of book you’d share with a sister or a best friend, and give as many tips and tricks as possible about how to make it work – without sugar coating anything.

*[The Blend](https://amzn.to/3kKhDaF)* shares wisdom about the entire working motherhood journey, from the very moment you think you might want to have a child, through to the return to work, growing your family and building a successful career along the way. It covers negotiating promotions and pay rises while going on maternity leave, sharing parental leave, the best childcare for your needs and budget, how to return to the workplace and much more. Within the book I had the honour of sharing the stories of incredible women who have navigated *The Blend* successfully, and share snippets of my own.

### **Why do you think it’s an important read in 2023?**

Women still hold only 4% of CEO and board positions globally, but we enter the workforce in equal proportion to men. What’s happening? Parenthood is a key factor impacting how women progress and even remain in the workplace – this year alone, 43,000 women have dropped out of work to look after their families. Yet 98% of mums want to work given the chance. We also know that a more diverse workforce produces better results and is simply the right thing to do. While the system and infrastructure have a way to go, I want this book to give women the confidence, tips and tricks to make the most of their career at the pivotal inflection point of having a family.

### **How has the conversation around being a working mother evolved?**

The fact we are having this conversation at all indicates we’ve come a long way. The pandemic-induced acceleration of remote and flexible working has opened up seismic new opportunities for working mums. We still have some way to go – for example, we have one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world and that prohibits many women from having the choice of going back to work until their children are in school. While glass ceilings are being shattered, the conversation needs to move towards ensuring all mums have the option to work and can access fair employment.

 

 

 

 Be prepared for the juggle, because from the moment you decide you are ready for parenthood, it is all consuming. I am ELEVEN YEARS INTO PARENTING, AND IT DOESN’T GET ANY EASIER. But it's ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS YOU’LL EVER DO – and one of, if not the, deepest loves you can feel.  
 

 



 Georgie Coleridge Cole, CEO &amp; Founder of SheerLuxe  
 

 



 

 

 

 

### **How does the book dispel the myth around finding 'balance'?**

It’s incredibly hard to exist in a world where there are equal amounts of work and parenting in your life. I learnt the hard way that chasing balance can leave you feeling like a failure and deeply disappointed. It’s why I believe in the power of *The Blend*: taking the elements you need to build your family and your career and putting them together. Sometimes there may be a bit more family in the mix and other times life moves in favour of your ambitions – whatever blend you create is right for you in the season that you’re in.

### **Women often find it hard to negotiate maternity leave with their employer – any suggestions?**

To build your confidence it helps to have a look at your data. By data, I mean have a look at your performance. Have you exceeded your targets, helped to boost profits or save your company money? Reflecting on your achievements in this way will not only help boost your confidence, it will help create a more compelling case for negotiation. I always remind myself of the fact that lots of studies have shown that by not negotiating at the beginning of their career, women leave an estimated £830K to £1.25m on the table in lost earnings over their lifetime. So, in many ways negotiation is an important part of levelling the playing field.

### **Any tips for negotiating maternity leave and pay specifically?**

Negotiating maternity pay in large organisations may certainly be difficult, as these are policies which impact a large number of people. There may be improvements to maternity pay that you can suggest, some of these improvements may include changing the length of time you need to be employed before being eligible for maternity pay or negotiating additional benefits around parental leave. It’s wise to start off by getting yourself clued up so you know where you stand. Read through your employment contract as well as your company’s maternity leave policy from HR so you start off negotiations on the right foot. Overall, when it comes to negotiating maternity pay, I think it’s critical to do heaps of research to help you benchmark your organisation’s maternity pay against others in a similar industry.

 

 

 

 

 A combination of DRIVE AND SUPPORT HAVE HELPED ME NAVIGATE MY WAY to the top with a family. I’ve always been very ambitious and have refused to believe that I can’t be a great mum and also get to the top in my career. I push myself to raise my hand for new opportunities even if they make me feel uncomfortable – I’m a big believer in the saying, IF YOU THROW YOUR HAT OVER THE WALL, THEN YOU HAVE TO GO AND GET IT!  
 

 



 Laura Fenton CEO of OMD UK  
 

 



 

 

 

 

### **How can working women prepare for maternity leave?**

The most important thing is being as proactive as possible. Get involved in the plans for your maternity cover, and design what that could look like. You might also think about what you want your return to look like. It’s fine to communicate your career goals, as well as your achievements, before you go on maternity leave, so that when opportunities arise key stakeholders have you in mind. Think in advance about how you might want to use your ‘keeping in touch’ days. You could use them to be a part of an away day or to have one-to-ones with your work colleagues. They are wonderful for helping you feel connected to professional life.

### **Any advice for working while pregnant?**

I believe it’s 100% possible to perform at work while pregnant – if you are experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy, you may just have to tweak how you approach things. The best piece of advice I can share is: make sure you have absolute clarity on what is expected of you in your role and what excellence looks like – and ruthlessly focus on those things. It’s fine to focus on these things to ensure you are delivering to the best of your ability and, while you do so, don’t forget to nurture and maintain relationships. Professional relationships inside and outside of your organisation are so incredibly valuable whether it be for mentoring purposes or just staying connected to your industry as your life evolves.

There is a temptation to disconnect at this stage, but it’s vital to keep the relationships alive because you never know where your next opportunity may come from. Largely, it’s personal relationships that play a huge role in opening up new opportunities regardless of how you build a family. All of this is heavily caveated by making sure you look after yourself and attend all of your medical appointments, of course.

### **In your experience, is there a way to deal with mum guilt?**

Yes totally. I often feel a lot of the guilt that seeps into motherhood is due to the pressure that we put ourselves to parent in a particular way. That particular way of parenting can often come from our perceptions of what we think a good mum should be or what we compare ourselves to. Guilt can be evoked by thinking another parent is doing a better job at spending quality time with their kids. So, try not to compare, and remember that you have no context or background to anyone’s parenting. Instead, remind yourself that a perfect parent does not exist and that you are doing an incredible job giving as much as you can to your family and to work.

 

 

 

 WHEN YOU’RE FEELING LOW IN CONFIDENCE, HAVE A WRITTEN LIST OF THINGS THAT DISPROVE THAT. It might be things like ‘I was asked back into this job’ or ‘I was promoted’ or some positive feedback that you’ve received. It is really helpful to have some concrete things in black and white to refer back to in those MOMENTS OF WOBBLE, which ARE JUST SO NORMAL.  
 

 



 Anna Mathar, psychotherapist &amp; author  
 

 



 

 

 

 

### **How will you know when the time is right to go back to work?**

As much as it is wonderful to watch your little ones grow and to nurture them, for so many families the decision to go back to work is largely driven by money and how long they can afford to be away from the working world. I encourage people to go through the numbers and have a look at your maternity pay and your expected income to work out when you might want to go back to work. Another factor that is good to take into consideration is key milestones in your career that might be important to you, like the opportunity to take on a new project or role. Such milestones may influence when you want to head back.

### **What would you tell women looking to re-enter the workforce after a prolonged break?**

Reflect on the skills you’ve amassed while on your career break. It’s really important to remind yourself that we do not lose skills during this time – in fact, we gain highly sought-after new ones, such as people management, empathy and ruthless efficiency, all of which are incredibly valuable skills if you ask me. Second, don’t be afraid to use your network of friends, family and even school parents. Be open to letting them know you are keen to re-enter the world of work and what your strengths are. Lastly, be on the lookout for ‘returnships’ – there are a number of brilliant schemes wanting to support individuals back into the world of work.

### **Finally, what's the one thing you wish all women – pregnant or not – knew about being a working mother?**

Being a working mother isn't easy but I truly believe motherhood is a superpower. The journey of motherhood arms women with incredibly valuable skills, so any woman who embarks on a motherhood journey with the right support is actually well equipped to thrive in the workplace.

 

[*The Blend: How to Successfully Manage a Career and a Family*](https://amzn.to/3kKhDaF) by Tobi Asare is published by Headline on 9th March. To find out more about International Women’s Day – and this year’s #EmbraceEquity theme – head to [InternationalWomensDay.com.](https://www.internationalwomensday.com/)

 

 

 

 

  [Skip to the rest of this article](#sidebar-bottom) ##  We think you might like 

  ![ 10 Minutes With… Susie Wolff, F1 Academy](https://media.sheerluxe.com/gAH3cCiL6xBjUMrA89A__vEo2cs=/600x800/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F06%2Fsl-site-asset-thumb-hero-050625-f1-2.jpg?itok=9OKWMOfH)

  

 

 



 

[Careers](/life/careers)

/

  06 June 2025  

 [##  10 Minutes With… Susie Wolff, F1 Academy  


 ](/life/careers/10-minutes-with-susie-wolff-f1-academy) 

 

 

  ![3 Inspiring Women Tell Us About Their Interesting Careers](https://media.sheerluxe.com/z3VQcYnziLfpL-hcKCvlmUpQx4Q=/600x800/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F03%2Fsl-site-assets-070325-thumb-hero-iwd.jpg?itok=3uHgmYdp)

  

 

 



 

[Careers](/life/careers)

/

  07 March 2025  

 [##  3 Inspiring Women Tell Us About Their Interesting Careers  


 ](/life/careers/3-inspiring-women-tell-us-about-their-interesting-careers) 

 

 

  ![What It Takes To Build A Beauty Brand In 2024](https://media.sheerluxe.com/UfeO_181jSQpxw68jlhQJLoonEI=/600x800/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2024%2F10%2Fbusiness-site-assets-231024-beauty-thumb.jpg?itok=gSFftrXb)

  

 

 



 

[Life](/life)

/

  23 October 2024  

 [##  What It Takes To Build A Beauty Brand In 2024  


 ](/life/what-it-takes-to-build-a-beauty-brand-in-2024) 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

 

 

  

 

  [Skip to the rest of this article](#sidebar-bottom) ##  We think you might like 

  ![ 10 Minutes With… Susie Wolff, F1 Academy](https://media.sheerluxe.com/gAH3cCiL6xBjUMrA89A__vEo2cs=/600x800/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F06%2Fsl-site-asset-thumb-hero-050625-f1-2.jpg?itok=9OKWMOfH)

  

 

 



 

[Careers](/life/careers)

/

  06 June 2025  

 [##  10 Minutes With… Susie Wolff, F1 Academy  


 ](/life/careers/10-minutes-with-susie-wolff-f1-academy) 

 

 

  ![3 Inspiring Women Tell Us About Their Interesting Careers](https://media.sheerluxe.com/z3VQcYnziLfpL-hcKCvlmUpQx4Q=/600x800/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F03%2Fsl-site-assets-070325-thumb-hero-iwd.jpg?itok=3uHgmYdp)

  

 

 



 

[Careers](/life/careers)

/

  07 March 2025  

 [##  3 Inspiring Women Tell Us About Their Interesting Careers  


 ](/life/careers/3-inspiring-women-tell-us-about-their-interesting-careers) 

 

 

  ![What It Takes To Build A Beauty Brand In 2024](https://media.sheerluxe.com/UfeO_181jSQpxw68jlhQJLoonEI=/600x800/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2024%2F10%2Fbusiness-site-assets-231024-beauty-thumb.jpg?itok=gSFftrXb)

  

 

 



 

[Life](/life)

/

  23 October 2024  

 [##  What It Takes To Build A Beauty Brand In 2024  


 ](/life/what-it-takes-to-build-a-beauty-brand-in-2024) 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

 

 

  

 Share This Story

 [Facebook

 ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?display=popup&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com&u=https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Flife%2Fcareers%2Fhow-succeed-working-mum&t=How+To+Succeed+As+A+Working+Mum) [ Pinterest

 ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Flife%2Fcareers%2Fhow-succeed-working-mum&description=How+To+Succeed+As+A+Working+Mum&media=) [ E-mail

 ](<mailto:?subject=How To Succeed As A Working Mum&body=Hi%0A%0AI&#039;ve just read this article https://sheerluxe.com/life/careers/how-succeed-working-mum and thought you might like it, too.%0A%0ASheerLuxe is your in-the-know friend keeping you up to date with everything new in fashion, beauty, culture, lifestyle %26 home.%0A%0AYou can sign up for the FREE daily newsletter here. https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsignup%3Fseed%3Dsharing%26utm_source%3DWebsite%26utm_medium%3DSL%26utm_campaign%3DEmail%26utm_id%3DSharing>) 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at <info@sheerluxe.com>.