The biggest career challenge yet – learning to take a break.

I started working a paper round with my sister when we were young, that moved to a Saturday job at a local cafe when I was 14. From there I have worked in my local gym running children’s parties, restaurant work that involved dressing up as the Nando’s chicken, retail from children’s clothes to high fashion, real estate in North London and all the promo work where once I had to dress up as Usain Bolt to promote some running wear in the middle of Union Square in NYC! and this was all before I started my “actual career”.

I would say my life has always been focused around my career (I am a true Capricorn after all), with myself often asking the questions “what’s next?”, “How can I better myself” – a previous manager once said “I’m worried we won’t challenge you enough” and they were right – I need to be challenged in my everyday and as soon as I don’t feel that I need to move on. So how exactly am I meant to take a break from what has defined me for the last 22 years!

ENTER 2022 – the year I was forced to take a career break.

I recently gave birth to my son in late December 2021 in Sweden, which can be described as probably one of the best places in the world to start a family. The parental leave is extremely generous, allowing 480 days of combined leave…