Navigating the return from parental leave (+ see you in a few months)


HAILLEY GRIFFIS

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Happy Monday 🌞

As you might have guessed from the title, I’m heading out on parental leave very soon. I’m so grateful to be able to take some time away from work to focus on the new baby and learn about life with a newborn and a toddler. (Send encouragement or advice if you have any!)

This will be my third time taking an extended break from work, which I feel very privileged to do. The first was my first parental leave for 12 weeks in 2021, the second was my 7-week sabbatical in 2022, and the third will be a 16-week parental leave — my longest break yet.

Each time, it’s not preparing to go on leave that is the daunting task. I’m fortunate to work with a great team, and passing off tasks and projects has been relatively straightforward. Instead, I dread the catch-up when I return.

The problem is that I want to know everything immediately and jump right back into work — but that’s not how it works. Instead, I’m being more mindful this time of the notifications I will need to comb through when I’m back so that I can hopefully make catching up more seamless.

→ Here’s everything I’m doing to make returning from parental leave easier​

On that note, I’ll be taking a few months off from this newsletter and publishing my regular content on my website. I expect to be back in June or July. In the meantime, the social network that might have updates on life will be my Instagram if you’d like to follow along there.

Thank you for subscribing and reading! This is my 8th newsletter this year, and I’m looking forward to returning to this newsletter and my writing post-baby. 🙂

See you in a few months,

Hailley

🔗 A few links

  • This year, I started reading The Daily Pressfield, a page-a-day book by Steven Pressfield about creating something new. If you’re doing any writing or starting new ventures or projects, I highly recommend picking it up. I’ve loved every page so far.
  • I enjoyed this article by Entrepreneur’s Editor-in-Chief, Jason Feifer, about recognizing what you’re really good at — it gave me lots to think about.
  • While I’m out on parental leave, I’ll be deleting all of my emails (again). Read more about why and how I’ve done that in this post.
  • We’re still hiring on the Marketing team at Buffer! Join us as a Senior Marketing Automation Manager. (Just a note: I’m not the hiring manager for this role, though I am reviewing applications.)

That's all for this newsletter! Thank you so much for subscribing. ✨

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Hailley Griffis

A long-time remote worker, career growth enthusiast, and personal systems fan, I juggle working full time as Buffer's Head of Communications and Content, running a podcast about creating purposeful workflows called MakeWorkWork, and I write and update what I learn on my website and newsletter.

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