The tantalizing Atlantic Monthly magazine title, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” was designed to get our attention. It was written by a former high-level White House adviser who stepped down to devote more time to her teenagers. It raised some level of conversation in this country about whether we can be ambitious in our careers and raise a strong family.

When returning to work after an extended leave of absence (e.g., greater than 3 years), may women select jobs that are NOT comensurate with their experience.

In other words, they are overqualified.

Some women believe they have been out of the workforce so long that they need time to come up the learning curve.  Others believe that a job that is "easier" will allow they greater flexibility for managing home life too.

It is one of those things you can’t see, but you are told it is there.  You read in the papers and studies that claim a glass ceiling exists.  Mass media SAYS it exists.  Other women tell you it is there.

But is it really there?  Does the glass ceiling really exist in your organization?  Any organization?  More importantly, do you think you will eventually hit a glass ceiling because other pay SAY it exists?

After being at home for a few years, many women decide to return to the workforce for one reason or another - kids are grown, career aspirations, desire to work, additional income, etc.

Planning for a baby is an exciting time for moms-to-be, whether they are expecting their first child or transitioning to two or more. Yet making arrangements for maternity leave, and the subsequent return to work are often stressful, last-minute ordeals that can leave working mothers feeling overwhelmed and even guilty. In this guest post, Mom Corps CEO Allison O’Kelly provides suggestions for planning a flexible career before having your first (or second, or third) child, and gives advice on how to advocate for your family and yourself.

The Olympics are thrilling. Watching athletes that have trained 24/7 compete in their respective sport mesmerizes the entire world. 

As I watched the opening ceremony, it dawned on me.  Working Moms are Olympians too.

Especially those returning to the workforce after an extended absence.

Here's why:

1. Our jobs as mothers and careerists are 24/7

2. Our "clients" (aka our family or our employer) expect 150%

3. We constantly have to re-earn our medals

We all need our own personal mission statement.  A mission statement is the foundation by which we regulate our behavior.  Like the basement to a building, it sets the stage for how we act, react and govern our lives.  It is a statement of purpose. 

In fact, you probably already have one.  You may just not know it.  Or it may need refining.  Your mission statement guides you.  It guides your behaviors and your actions.  Having a clearly articulated mission statement is critical for career success and happiness. 

Does this sound familiar?

In addition to showing up at work, doing a fantastic job, keeping hearth and home moving along with enthusiasm and brilliance (and looking great all the while,) you maintain a second career as social secretary to your children.

This is the reality of many working moms and for the most part, all is well.

We handle it with grace and flexibility.

If you are returning to work, telecommuting seems like a great option.  It is a way to get your cake and eat it too.  I mean, if you have ever organized your entire life around traffic and commuting, you understand the personal peace telecommuting brings. Avoiding hours in a car, bus or train inhaling fumes, the cost of commuting, or the lost opportunities to do other things BESIDES commuting like reading, exercising, cooking, and being with friends and family are just a few of the perks.

Smartphones, social media, instant accessibility to anyone, anytime. Though once thought of as luxuries, these aspects of modern life have become ubiquitous to many adults. Yet this level of convenience has yet to fully find its way to the workplace. In the following guest post, Allison O’Kelly takes a closer look at the many benefits of workplace flexibility from an often-ignored perspective – that of employers.