When I talk to women about returning to work I find they base their plans on what they used to do. This makes sense – it’s what they know. What this approach fails to acknowledge is that so much has changed.

Why being able to leave my marriage makes me happy to stay? I didn’t realise this until I had my first child. I found being on maternity leave a real struggle. Being reliant on my husband for so much really didn’t sit well with me. I know that we’re a team, and he never made me feel anything other than loved and appreciated, but I felt a loss.

This week I met with a woman who’s looking to return to work. She’s been out of the workforce for ten years, and she’s keen to get back in. Yet when I met with her, the main thing I heard from her was doubt. She’d lost confidence in herself. She knew logically she could do it, but deep down she didn’t believe she could.

It’s a funny feeling leaving your baby to go to work for the first time. I’ve left him before, but that felt different. I was going to a meeting, getting a haircut, buying groceries, or heading out to dinner. This is different. This morning felt like a new phase and new beginning, but also a goodbye.

Women returning to work after maternity leave are driven to output – and not only the women who return to traditional work structures, but also those who move into part time or voluntary work situations.