Ask the Expert

Q: Now that I'm back from maternity leave, I feel like my boss is overloading me with work. What do I do?

A: Well, it will be a challenge, but one thing to consider doing is having a frank discussion with your boss. One of your objectives would be to confirm your responsibilities. If you can quantify how they are increasing, you may be in a position to ask for greater compensation.

Now, before you have this talk, consider an alternate possibility for your boss' behavior. First figure out if your return to work coincides with a busy time of year for your company (like tax time, for example). Your boss may be demanding more work from everyone on the staff, not only you.

Also, ask yourself this very tough question: When you are at work, are you sufficiently focused on the job? As a loving mother, it's normal to think about your baby every waking minute. But, if you can, try to have trust in the smart choices you have made for childcare. Give yourself permission to breathe easy knowing that your baby is safe and happy. This might help to focus your attention to work.

Finally, have confidence in your professional skills. It is widely known that mothers are often more productive than other workers because they spend less time surfing the Web, and more time getting their job done so they can get home on time. I have often said, "hire a mom, they don't take lunch!"

Mary Quigley, is co-author of Going Back to Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms; professor of journalism at New York University, and mother of three.