310: Going back to work after an extended break

310: Going back to work after an extended break

Author: Charli Prangley, Femke Van Schoonhoven May 12, 2025 Duration: 31:55
Design Life
BusinessArtsDesignEntrepreneurshipTechnology

This episode is sponsored by Mobbin, which is the largest design reference library for mobile and web, offering practical inspiration from real apps that address diverse design challenges. Don’t forget to mention Design Life when you register at Mobbin!

Femke shares her experience returning to work, exploring team dynamics, personal impacts, surprises, challenges, and positive aspects of re-entering the workplace after maternity leave.

Timestamps:

0:49 Episode intro

01:39 Mobbin sponsorship

06:56 How did your first days back at work go?

10:15 Did it feel like you were joining the same company, or was it a different experience? How did it feel to meet your new team?

11:58 Your team previously had a manager. How do they feel about you joining the team? Were there any steps you took to establish a positive relationship from the start?

13:23 Can you tell me more about what your team does?

14:40 How would you describe your current responsibilities? How do they compare to your responsibilities before your maternity leave?

17:42 When you first joined Gusto as a manager, was your role a backfilled position, or was it a new managerial role?

19:10 What has been the personal impact of returning to work? How was your first week back as a working mom?

21:49 One of the biggest surprises upon your return has been the influence of AI. How has this impacted your work?

25:09 What has been the most surprising and the most challenging aspect of coming back to work?

28:15 And finally, what has been the most rewarding or positive aspect of going back to work?

Links:

A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Mobbin! Make sure to check them out

Femke's new community

Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers”

Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at hello@designlife.fm


Hosted by designers Charli Prangley and Femke Van Schoonhoven, Design Life feels like eavesdropping on a candid conversation between two friends who genuinely understand the hustle. This podcast digs into the reality of a creative career, moving beyond portfolio tips to discuss the actual challenges of making a living from your ideas. Each episode stems from their own experiences as serial side-project addicts, covering everything from navigating client negotiations and pricing your work to pushing through creative blocks and finding time for personal work. You’ll hear them dissect the intersection of design, business, and technology with a relatable, grounded perspective. The discussion they foster is particularly valuable for young creatives seeking honest advice and a sense of community, all delivered through the lens of two practitioners in the field. Tune in for a blend of practical strategy and personal reflection that focuses on building a sustainable and fulfilling design practice.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
youtubespotifyapple_musicpatreon
Design Life
Podcast Episodes
234: Are you ready to commit to a new side hustle? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:33
There's a lot to consider when you’re starting a new side hustle! Listen to our chat about committing to new side hustles, inspired by the launch of Femke’s design community.
233: Increasing the pace of your design process [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:37
Today we’re talking about pace. The more experience we have, the quicker and more efficient we become. We chat about why this happens and how to increase pace without sacrificing quality.
232: Do you NEED to do research before you design? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:56
In this week’s episode of Design Life we answer a listener question - Do you NEED to do research before you design? (Maybe not!) We also talk about building a research culture where you work and what defines ‘good’ desig…
231: Why Femke left Uber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:50
After 4 years at Uber, Femke has recently started a new job at Wealthsimple. In this episode of Design Life we chat about how to figure out when is the right time to start a new job, making and maintaining contacts and n…
230: After summer catch up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
Welcome back to the Design Life podcast! In our first episode back after the summer break, we chat about how we spent our time off, our summer trips and look ahead to our end of year goals.
229: Side hustle income streams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
Today on Design Life we discuss our side hustle income stream growth from the past twelve months and the investment we make into content creation to fuel our personal brands.
228: Ways to keep learning and growing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:57
As a designer, your skillset is always growing and there is always more to learn. In this episode of Design Life we share how we find new opportunities to learn and what we’re learning next.
227: Building self awareness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:25
Today on Design Life we answer another listener question, this time about self awareness as a designer. Our listener wants to know how to build and improve upon self awareness in a design role - asking a question like th…
226: Decision making as a creative lead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:59
Today on Design Life we answer a listener’s question about decision making as a creative lead and how to find the balance between being decisive, seeking help and leading your team with confidence.

«1...678910