Why should you consider part time work as a mum? Everyone’s situations are different and, for some mums out there, even toying with the idea of part time work might not be an option. It might be the case that you have a choice of either full time work or being a full time parent. Or you might want to be a full time parent who stays at home with the children and you are in a financial situation where that is possible.
That’s great. But there are lots of reasons why many mums want to work part time. This article is an article for mums who are in a position to consider working a few hours each week. If you have been pondering the idea of looking for a part time job but are still not sure whether it is right for you, we’ve come up with a list of reasons why you might want to give it a shot. After all, no harm in trying, is there? And, if you do find your ideal opportunity, you could find there is a whole host of benefits.
Top Benefits Of Part Time Work For Mums
Fill That CV Gap
Even some parents who decide to take long career breaks to be with their young family admit that this is a concern for them in the future when they decide to go back to the workplace. If you do part time work whilst you are a mum with young children, it means you have something to put on your CV.
Who knows, you might even choose to stay in your part time role permanently, but if you do decide to move on, you will have avoided that aching gap on your CV that shows your recent employment.
Part Time Jobs For Mums Are Not Just About The Money
It depends on your childcare arrangements but any extra money is always going to come in handy in return for your hard work. No one’s denying that. But part time work for mums is often much more than just about the money. Lots of working mums out there say their job keeps them sane and they feel emotionally and psychologically better off.
Yes, of course you love being with your children but for many of you, there’s more to life than picking up toys, wiping snot and changing nappies. Part time work gives you a break from that. You still get to be adult you with your own identity. Which leads us nicely onto the next benefit:
Part Time Jobs for Mums Can Give You Two Bites Of The Feel-Good Cherry
And we all like to feel good, right? Why not go for a double whammy. You get to feel great being a mum and raising your child and, at the same time, you also get to enjoy being in the workplace and doing the best job you can. It might earn you promotion, a pay rise, praise from management – or it might just earn you the satisfaction of knowing, yourself, that you are good at your job.
Part Time Jobs For Mums Can Give Financial Independence, Too
If you previously worked full time and you have been at home for a while, raising your young family whilst your partner is out at work, then you might feel you have lost a bit of independence, financially. Relying on another person for to be the breadwinner and pay the bills can be difficult for a lot of mums. Whether you are just working a few hours each week doing entry level work or you are continuing your professional career on a part time basis, having your own money in your pocket can do self-esteem no end of good and you can still have a feeling of independence.
Yes, you’re probably going to spend any extra bits of cash on your children, anyway, but at least you have the choice.
A Part Time Working Mum Can Be Beneficial For The Whole Family
We all need to take a break. Taking a break can make us feel fresh and happy and relaxed and some mums see their part time job as that break time. A break from being in the house all day or a break from doing baby things all day. Many part time working mums say this makes them more happy and relaxed when they are spending time with the children and this rubs off on them, too. They are more happy and relaxed.
And if your part time job means you are feeling more happy and comfortable with yourself, if you have a partner returning home from work in the evenings, then they’ll be happier, too. A whole household could feel the benefits.
You Can Shine In The Workplace
And why are you going to be great at your part time job? Because you are a mum! Being a mum means you have developed transferable skills that you can take with you into your place of work. You are a master of multitasking and getting things done when it seems like there is no way to get a task completed on time.
No More Feelings Of Isolation
Some mums who are at home all the time, looking after young children, can start to feel isolated, lonely and lacking confidence. Mums who work part time have said working a few hours each week has helped restore that confidence. You are interacting with other adults for part of the day as well as with your young family and you are using your brain to work on other tasks unrelated to babies. A part time job can also reintroduce to the outside world and keep you in touch with what’s happening in your local community.
A Fixed Routine
Of course you never stop being a mum. That is a constant in life that many mums wouldn’t change for the world. But a little bit of start-and-finish time can really benefit some mums. Part time working days have a start time and a finish time and this can help you feel more structured rather than having a feeling of being all at sea. Tasks are completed and boxed off rather than being never ending.
Nursery Can Benefit Your Little One
If you child care arrangements mean you will have to send your little one to nursery whilst you work part time, whilst you might feel guilty about this, children really benefit from both contact with other children and with structured play. Giving you child that time at nursery can make them more independent and more confident around others. So whilst your child benefits, it can also benefit you, too, in the future. Let’s face it, not many parents out there look forward to that first day at big school where they have to leave their little one for the day. You’ll already have that little hurdle sussed and know that you’ll all come out the other side in one piece!
A Change In Personal Appearance
Another benefit of part time jobs for mums is you get the opportunity to be a different you. If you have been at home looking after a young family for some time, you will probably be used to pulling on comfortable, practical clothes – whatever is best for looking after the kids.
Part time jobs give you that opportunity for a change for a few hours each week. You might be dressing as executive you, as sales assistant you, as events organiser you. Whatever your role, there is little chance you will be setting off to work in the clothes you wear around the house as a parent of young children. It’s your time to do your hair and make-up or put on that uniform.
You Will Love Your Journey To And From Work
How many people do you know who enjoy their commute to work? It’s one of those journeys that is dreaded by most people. However, ask any other mums who work part time and chances are, they will tell you how much they love that journey. It might be a train, bus, car, bike or walk.
Long traffic queues? No problem. Crowded public transport? No problem. Your journey to work gives you your solitary you time. A time where you can sit and read, a time to daydream or just take all in around you. It might even be a time to think about your day ahead at work, too. Lots of mums love this time because it’s a time – however short or long – purely for them.
You Can Keep Your Contacts Current
If you are hoping to go back into a full time career once your children are of a certain age, well, another benefit for mums doing part time work is that you can keep your contacts current. This means you will have some people in the know when it comes to getting back on the ladder. They will also know you haven’t been completely off the scene over the years.
Sharing Of Household Chores
Part time work can also benefit mums because, if you have a partner who is also working, in theory, they will understand that the household chores such as cooking and cleaning need to be shared. After all, both of you are out working and so both of you need to run the household together. That also includes, of course, being hands on with raising your children. So, part time jobs for mums can mean a more inclusive household.
Do You Think You Could Work Part Time?
As you can see, there are many potential benefits to mums going out to work for a few hours each week, whatever type of job that might be. Most of these benefits are not to do with financial gain so voluntary work is also an option.
If you are a mum and have done part time work in the past, maybe you could add to these benefits from your own personal experiences. And you can no doubt come up with a few hurdles and drawbacks, too. But when it comes to work life balance, there are many mums out there who work part time and who will say the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
If you are thinking about looking for part time work, take a look at the current part time vacancies on UK Part Time Jobs. You can browse by job type or by location. If you feel all at sea and are not sure what type of part time work you could do as a mum, take a look at some of these job ideas for parents to help get you started.