Let's be honest...thinking you can just pick up where you left off after maternity leave is like expecting to run a marathon after taking a year off training. Everything's changed - including you. This week, we're tackling the messy, meaningful reality of returning to work after maternity leave and how to keep growing your career when your priorities have completely shifted.

From navigating the emotional whirlwind of feeling like a different person at work, to mastering the art of being visible when you're working part-time. We explore why the "mental load" hits harder than anyone warns you about, tackle the confidence crisis that comes with feeling like people are doing you a favour by giving you part-time work, and bust the myth that career growth stops when you start working flexibly.

What you'll learn: 


How to have the pre-return conversation that prevents you from drowning in an impossible workload

• The salary negotiation reality check - if you were on $100k full-time, that budget still exists for your part-time return

• Why being strategic about visibility beats showing up to everything (and the PAYO method that makes every meeting count)

Resources Mentioned: 
Monday.com (Work Platform)
Amanda Blesing 

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here


THE END BITS
Support independent women's media.
Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you.
We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content.
It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:
$10 e-gift card
1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)

Survey here
T&Cs here

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Let's be honest...thinking you can just pick up where you left off after maternity leave is like expecting to run a marathon after taking a year off training. Everything's changed - including you. This week, we're tackling the messy, meaningful reality of returning to work after maternity leave and how to keep growing your career when your priorities have completely shifted.
From navigating the emotional whirlwind of feeling like a different person at work, to mastering the art of being visible when you're working part-time. We explore why the "mental load" hits harder than anyone warns you about, tackle the confidence crisis that comes with feeling like people are doing you a favour by giving you part-time work, and bust the myth that career growth stops when you start working flexibly.
What you'll learn:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
How to have the pre-return conversation that prevents you from drowning in an impossible workload
&bull; The salary negotiation reality check - if you were on $100k full-time, that budget still exists for your part-time return
&bull; Why being strategic about visibility beats showing up to everything (and the PAYO method that makes every meeting count)
</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.monday.com">Monday.com (Work Platform)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amandablesing.com/">Amanda Blesing&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>
Our BIZ hosts are <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lie-42b705a1/?originalSubdomain=au">Lisa Lie</a> - a former Head of People &amp; Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyvernem/?hl=en">Em Vernem</a>.
<a href="https://www.learna-app.com/">Learna</a> is Lisa&rsquo;s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on <a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/learna-people-skills/id6443828538">Apple</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details/Learna?id=user.learnaapp.com&amp;hl=en-AU">Google Play</a>. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKymlmzzCYg/?igsh=aXR6ZGN4emQ4bmdk"> </a><a href="https://mamamia.au/3Eli0BR">Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here</a>
<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/biz/ep-1-pay-rise"> </a>THE END BITS <a href="https://mamamia.com.au/subscribe/?utm_source=shownotes&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=quicky&amp;utm_content=mm-birthday&amp;code=TQBIRTHDAY">Support independent women's media</a>. Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes -<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960"> send us a voice note</a> or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon!&nbsp;
HOSTS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lisa.lie_learna/?hl=en">Lisa Lie</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyvernem/?hl=en"> Em Vernem</a>
SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges
Want $10 + a free month of Mamamia? We've got you. We're cooking up something exciting and need your brilliant opinions to help us make even better content. It's just 20 minutes of your time, and you'll get:
<ul data-stringify-type="unordered-list" data-list-tree="true" data-indent="0" data-border="0">
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">$10 e-gift card</li>
<li data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">1 month Mamamia subscription (or gift it to someone if you're already a subscriber)</li>
</ul>
Survey&nbsp;<a href="https://survey.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bx9rNtK5YGAnFFI" data-stringify-link="https://survey.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bx9rNtK5YGAnFFI" data-sk="tooltip_parent">here</a> T&amp;Cs&nbsp;<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/mamamia-and-blinq-research-project-2025-tandcs-1961370" data-stringify-link="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/mamamia-and-blinq-research-project-2025-tandcs-1961370" data-sk="tooltip_parent">here</a>
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

BIZ is a podcast about work and how to make it work for you.

This season, we're promising new wisdom, fresh energy, and zero fluff. Co-hosts Em Vernem (ambitious but efficient) and Lisa Lie (founder of Learna) bring real talk, real hacks, and real experience. No vague inspo, no recycled advice—just smart, straight-up strategies that actually work. Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.

Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.

BIZ is a podcast about work and how to make it work for you.
This season, we're promising new wisdom, fresh energy, and zero fluff. Co-hosts Em Vernem (ambitious but efficient) and Lisa Lie (founder of Learna) bring real talk, real hacks, and real experience. No vague inspo, no recycled advice&mdash;just smart, straight-up strategies that actually work. Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.
Because work is hard enough without having to figure it all out yourself.

Biz 

You Don't Have to Choose: How To Have Ambition After Maternity Leave

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/de9ebd72-2343-4758-8c28-b32801898f7f/transcript