Taking A Break Announcement
Share a big personal update, speak about the fear of taking time away from work, and explain why this break will actually make you stronger.
The hook
State the big change you are making soon and share the mix of feelings you have about it.
Structure
State the big change -> Share your past experience -> Compare your work world to your life change -> List common fears -> Share a better way to look at it -> Thank your team -> Give your return plan -> Quick summary sign-off.
The Big Change
Say what life event is about to happen and how it makes you feel right now.
Your Identity at Work
List a few short examples of who you have been in your job.
The Contrast
Compare how fast or strict your work is to how different your new life event is.
Name the Secret Fears
List three big worries that people secretly have when taking time away from work.
A Better Perspective
Explain why your personal life and work life can make each other better instead of hurting each other.
Next Steps and Thanks
Thank the people covering your job, state when you will return, and give a short three-line summary.
Tone
Honest, open, warm, and hopeful.
Best for
Announcing a leave, sabbatical, or big life change without losing touch with your network.
The original post
This Friday I’ll close my laptop and start my maternity leave. And to be honest, it feels strange and huge and exciting all at once. I’ve been “the woman in tech” in so many rooms: - the only woman in the meeting - the one asking “why are we building this, who does it actually help?” - the one balancing ambition with everyone’s favourite question: “But what about kids?” Tech taught me to move fast, iterate, break things, fix them, ship again. Pregnancy is the opposite: slow, physical, messy, absolutely not under my control. And somewhere between those two worlds, a lot of women quietly get scared. - Scared that if they disappear for a few months, their career will disappear too. - Scared they’ll come back “behind”. - Scared they’ll be seen as less serious, less ambitious, less “in the game”. I’ve felt that fear too. But I don’t believe the story that you’re either a “serious woman in tech” or a “mom who’s distracted”. I think both identities can feed each other. I want my kid to grow up seeing their mom build things, make decisions, lead teams, and also show up fully at home. And I’m really lucky here: I have the most amazing team at Chatbase. We’ve been building so much this year, and they’ll keep shipping while I’m on leave. I’ll still be around online, reading, writing, sharing what I learn – just with a slightly different schedule. I’ll be back at work in March. So that’s my update: woman in tech, starting maternity leave, coming back in March.