My brain is like an Elite Athlete...

... in the sense that since I have stopped using my business skills, my brain muscle has turned to flab.  After one year on mat leave, I have lost the ability to remember phone numbers (if my husband wasn't on speed dial, I don't think I'd be able to get in touch with him), names or even that fact that I had a pot on the stove.

Is it day after day of babbling to my baby and answering "Why Mommy?" with 'because it is" or "why do you think the Wiggles are dancing?" to my toddler or is it just the pure lack of sleep between teething, potty training and  kiddy nightmares that has caused the attrition?  Or maybe, it is just because I am now 40 and I am destined to not only mommy brain, but progressive memory loss as well.

So, as I start interviewing again, my inability to recall names of bosses, theories of operations and generally just make sense is sure to be a detriment.

My solution? - become a working mom without the work.  Getting a job is work, so why am I not treating it so?  It is time to start getting up in the morning, dressing for success, shuffling the kids off to school and a caregivers and going to work.  This week, it means two mornings I am working at getting a new job aside from the frantic midnight responses to recruiters emails.

I will be reading and reviewing industry postings, searching job boards and contacting anyone in my LinkedIn network who possibly can open a door.  Maybe with a little 'training' my brain will start getting back into shape.  I think it will be a while yet before I feel that I am back in the 'show', but rehab for anyone takes baby steps!

Who am I?

This is not the who am I as in "My name is Michelle Gorman...".  This is the who am I as in "my entire life has changed course and I am redefining who I am.

The title of this blog - Theory of a Working Mom is a bit misleading as I am currently not working.  Partly because I am taking advantage of Canada's mat leave benefits for a year and partly because I have made the decision to temporarily resign as a working professional and become a "SAHM" - for now.  My husband was offered an amazing opportunity to move from Canada to Singapore and I have become a trailing spouse.  Much more emotional baggage with that than I even imagined!

I have decided that I needed both a creative outlet as well as a forum for discussion to understand what my role in the world is now and to find others that struggle with mommy guilt, career judgement and balance.

Please follow me as I explore my journey on returning to work and dealing with the responsibilities and joys of being a parent.