The secret life of a working mum

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I'm writing this from my small boy's bedroom floor, and when he finally goes to sleep, I'll grab something to eat, probably standing at the counter, making a school lunch and checking e-mails at the same time. Then I'll bake a cake for the school cake-sale. OK, there's no cake-sale. But you get the drift. ...

The Slow-it-Down Day

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Walking back to the car after the school run, I called to Sam to hurry up, then caught myself, realising that for once, there was no reason to hurry. It was 9am. We had just dropped Clara and Emmie to school. And both were invited on playdates after school – both being collected by other mums. ...

Aiming Low and Being Present

Office Mum - resolutions

I really like a good list. And ticking things off lists. And sometimes adding things I've already done so that I can tick them off. The satisfying swoosh. Tick, tick, tick. And I like new year's resolutions. But only ones that I a) really genuinely want to achieve and b) have a good chance of achieving. ...

Presenteeism: Why Are We Still Rewarding Presence In The Office?

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My friend was not impressed. A 5pm conference call that was scheduled to last two hours. So instead of using his office phone, he dialled in on his mobile. At 6, he left work, still on the call. He walked to the train station, took the train home, got tea organised for his kids, and ...

Reasons to drink pretend champagne

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I wasn't going to write anything about this week, but I'm sitting here drinking champagne (the not-champagne type), and that seems like a reason to write it down (or maybe it's the bubbles talking) As work-life balance goes, this week has been rather one-sided. Work has been busy and difficult. The life side of life, on ...

Office Mum stories – Sara Delmer

Office Mum: Sara Delmer

"...while being at home with your kids is great...it isn't easy, you don't get a break, you can barely get a chance to pee in peace! It is very rewarding in other ways but it is in no way glamorous" This week I meet Sara Delmer who is a twenty-eight year old mother of two. She's ...

The Rules

Office Mum Word Cloud

Drink eight glasses of water a day. Take the stairs. Put the phone away when the kids are around. Be on time for work. Be on time leaving work. Pay attention during homework time. Eat five servings of fruit and veg a day. Don't let the kids watch too much TV. Get seven hours sleep. Don't eat red ...