*This is a sponsored post. All honest opinions are 100% my own. This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links. Please see Disclosure policy for more information.
Part-time work
As a woman, there are so many decisions that go along with starting a family. Will you stay home with your new baby full-time, will you go back to work full-time and put your child in daycare, or will you do a little of both? Is there a way to do both? Is part-time work a good option for you?
For me, I’ve stayed home as a full-time mom, and I’ve also worked part-time. While I love being home with my children, I think I’m always happier when I have some part-time work.
Why is that? What are the benefits of working part-time as a mother? Could it be the solution that you’re looking for?
If you’ve been asking yourself these questions and wondering what to do, I’ve just read a book that can help you figure things out.
Beth Brykman has written a book that explores the world of part-time work, and shows just how satisfying it can be to a lot of women. Her book, The Best of Both Worlds:How Mothers Can Find Full-time Satisfaction In Part-Time Work
About the Book
The Best of Both Worlds shares story after story of women that have found part-time work as missing piece to their happiness. Beth interviewed over 100 women from different geographical areas, backgrounds, races, and stations in life. Overall, she found the majority of them found the most satisfaction and happiness when they were working part-time.
The book is broken down into 10 chapters, each exploring a different aspect of the part-time work world. From the reasons behind working part-time, to how to find a position that’s right for you, to even how to start your own business, Beth shares real-life examples from mothers. While you may not relate to every woman in the book, with so many different stories, I’m confident you will find someone who speaks to you. I know I found quite a few voices that spoke to me, and I found myself nodding my head along with their experiences.
What I loved about Beth’s book was that at the end of each chapter, she reviews the key points and gives you questions to ask yourself. It’s truly both a collection of actual experiences paired with the information you need to start your own part-time journey. She gives you resources and ideas that can guide you as a mother in the work field.
Beth is also very honest in her book, sharing that not everyone does find satisfaction in the part-time work field. As with anything, the same thing doesn’t work for everyone.
Final Thoughts
If you’re about to start a family, if you’re re-entering the workforce since having children, or even if you are thinking of leaving your full-time job, this book can be really helpful to you. It gives you realistic options for you and your family, while also sharing the obstacles of part-time work. It’s a great guide that can help you determine which is the right path for you and how you can get there by providing real-life examples, guided questions, and key takeaway points.
Right now, you can purchase Beth’s Book through my Amazon Affiliate link by clicking any of the blue links in this post or this picture below. There is no additional charge to you.
Raising children is an important job, but staying home with them full-time doesn’t work for everyone. Beth’s book can help you determine if part-time work is the solution for you, and help you realize the real reason that you need that work to feel satisfied. Once you narrow down those reasons, finding the right job becomes a lot easier. Where you can start your search and find that job is another great resource included in the book.
About Beth
Beth Brykman is the author of The Wall Between Women: The Conflict between Stay-at-Home and Employed Mothers and Second Wind: The Resilience of Women. She has also written for the New England Journal of Public Policy. She has managed her own part-time consulting business, Brykman Consulting Services; has held senior marketing positions at Kraft General Foods and Pittsburgh Brewing Company; and has worked in product management for Ralston Purina, HJ Heinz, and Frito-Lay.
I know that part-time work has helped me explore my passions, while also allowing me to contribute to my family and be with my children. With the help of Beth’s book, I have the knowledge and tools to continue on my journey. It really is a great guide that I will be going back to whenever I have questions or need motivation.
Every mother deserves to feel happy and fulfilled, and this book is a great way to get there.
What questions can Beth’s book help you answer? What do you think about working part-time? Is it something that might work for you and your family?
This sounds like a great read. I don’t think I could do stay at home mom life without some part time work at least.
This looks like a great book – love the real life examples. I am one of those moms who needs to work. Right now I work three 12-hour night shifts as a labor and delivery nurse and I get great joy from my job. I do miss being home with the kids those days and would (when finances allow) like to go down to two days a week because I think it would be a better balance.
What a great book! I definitely need to add it to my book list since this is something I’ve really wanted to do. Blogging is my part time work right now but I’m looking to also get out of the house too.
Awesome topic! I just heard about another book yesterday on a similar topic – definitely adding this to my reading list!
Alyssa | feathers and stripes
I work full time and absolutely believe it makes me a better mother. Staying at home is hard work!!!!
I work full time and while I love my career I do wonder sometimes if parttime would give me a bit more flexibility
I am lucky to work part time, and make my own schedule, from home while still being home with the kids. It was the best thing I did but I feel like I need alone time outside of the home still. That is my hard thing.
This book sounds so interesting! I would love to work part time one day so that I could spend more time with my family. I’m adding this to my to-read list. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful review. I always really struggled with working out of the home once I had my son. Even now he’s a teenager I would hate to work full time out of the home.
I’ve seriously considered working part time, outside of the home! Sometimes I think it’d make me a better mom to do so because I’d get a feeling of accomplishment that can sometimes be so fleeting when staying at home.
I think I might get this book! It sounds really interesting and perfect for this time in my life. Thanks, Shann!
The Best of Both Worlds looks like a great book. I was a stay at home mom for three years before I went back to work. As my daughter grew older I added more work hours. I enjoy the balance of work and home.
Great review. I really enjoy working and am not sure if part time would be my ideal, but I love working in a flexible environment. Being able to chaperone my son’s field trip one day while working the rest of the week is fantastic. It would be great if all employers were supportive of family balance for both mothers and fathers.
What a great book and a great niche to cover! There are so many ways to work part-time and I love that this book can offer the inspiration to find the right job for any momma!
I actually never considered working part-time as mom. I guess I always thought that if I was going to be a WOHM, I’d go all in and be full-time. If only I knew about this book back then I might have been able to work part-time instead. Thanks for sharing!
What a great resource for moms struggling with this! I know moms who work full or part time purely because the income that’s needed. I also know ones who pay daycare and their income isn’t needed, but they say they have to work outside the home. There are also a lot just waiting for kids to get into school, so they can go back to work. A friend of mine worked part time while her mom watched her kids. She thought she should get out of the house, and they used her income as their “fun money”. She quit last year, saying she had enjoyed the time away, and felt like she could actually get things done on work days – catch up on emails and run errands on lunch break, which she didn’t get at home with the kids. But, she wasn’t always available for field trips and events, so she didn’t feel like that was worth missing for the other benefits. So many things to consider, and it sounds like this book will help moms sort it all out.
This is great encouragement!
This is such a topic among my mom friends. I have 4 children that I currently stay home with, but if childcare were cheaper or I had family close to watch the kids, I would definitely LOVE a part time job.