Time taken out to raise a family or take care of kids is referred to as parenting sabbatical. For a career oriented woman it is a very difficult decision to quit her job to become a full time mother. Equally difficult is when she decides to re-enter work after a gap of several years. Mothers wanting to get back to work are constantly asking themselves: how can I enjoy the best of both worlds – family and work life?

Here are few tips that can help you in overcoming a parenting sabbatical -

• When you decide for a sabbatical, check your company's policy on sabbaticals and whether there is a provision available to return to your old job as going back to your previous employers is the easiest option.
• Have a trusted group of friends who can inspire and encourage you when you decide to re-enter workforce.
• Feel confident about yourself. Review your clothes and make-up which will help in creating a good impression on your employers. In interview talk about your accomplishments when you were working.
• Never have any regrets of staying at home for few years. You should talk about how it was a planned sabbatical and how excited and motivated you are while returning to work.
• Keep your skills up to date so that you are fully prepared to return to work. Your interviewer will mostly judge you on the how much informed you are about the current happenings of your field.

Plan ahead of when you will be stepping out of the sabbatical. Don’t decide one day that you are going to go back to work and start applying for jobs. Prepare yourself slowly and gradually so that you are ready not only mentally but physically as well to manage both the worlds.

Also, you can use this break from work to your advantage. The time you are at home will give you not only the advantage to spend time with your family but will also give you the opportunity to re-access yourself. Maybe you will step out of the sabbatical smarter, stronger, more charismatic and more able.