Steps to take before leaving work to have a baby.
You’ve chosen a final date for work. But there are still a number of projects to wrap up, details to be addressed, and people to alert. Here are some ways to get organized.
Anticipate needing more time off, not less. Yes, I know, we’re all Super Woman, and we plan to work until the moment we go into labor, maybe even a little longer. But in cases like these, it’s best to adopt the customer-service motto: under-promise, over-deliver. If you were a restaurant, you would quote a party a 15 minute wait for a table. When their table comes available in seven minutes, they’re delighted! But if it takes 17 minutes, they’re furious.
Same concept: plan on leaving your job earlier than you think is necessary. Even if you wonder “What on earth will I do with two free weeks before labor?” you’ll thank yourself at week 38 when your feet are swollen to the size of footballs and getting off the sofa requires the strength of ten men. However, if the time comes and you really do feel fantastic and want to work, first of all, duck, because 99.999% of women hate you enough to throw something sharp toward your head and second, what boss would turn down a few extra days of work from a departing employee? It’s like a bonus for them! And you’ll seem fantabulous and wonderful. (But, seriously. Don’t count on this. Seriously.)
Three to five months pregnant. Tell your boss and choose a final date of work. Decide how long before you return (if you are planning to do so). Turn down long-term projects. Even if it hurts.
Six months pregnant. Begin cleaning up ancient To Do list. Organize desk and filing for replacement/co-workers covering for you. If you do not have a system, implement one now so you aren’t fielding phone calls while nursing asking where the GPA file is.
Seven months pregnant. Wrap up large projects. Delegate, if necessary. All that should be left by the end of your seventh month are day-to-day work tasks. This way, if you go into labor early or need more time off than anticipated, you are not leaving a number of loose ends.
Meet with boss weekly to go over progress and remind him that if he has projects for you to complete before your leave, he’d best give them to you now. Yes, now. Not the week before your scheduled leave, because you will be busy and tired and your brain won’t work.
Eight months pregnant. Alert clients of your pending leave. Introduce them to replacement. Write several lists: your daily tasks, progress reports for ongoing projects, procedures only you know how to do (even if it’s just changing copier paper), your filing/paperwork system.
