This is an IHeart podcast.

Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of IHeart Radio.

Good morning. This is Laura.

Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

Today's tip is that if you are planning to step away from your job for a while,

such as for a leave or even just for a longer vacation,

make a plan for how you will reenter.

This will make life feel more calm and productive,

for you and for everyone you work with.

Today's tip comes from Lorena Yee.

Lorena is a senior partner at McKinsey and the co-author of the book The Broken Rung,

when the career ladder fails for women and how they can succeed in spite of it.

Lorena was recently a guest on my other podcast, Best of Both Worlds.

When I interviewed her for Best of Both Worlds,

Lorena offered what I think is wise advice for people preparing for a parental or other extended leave.

She advised that they pack a round-trip ticket.

I love that metaphor.

Most of the time, we don't buy a plane ticket to another city

without having a plan for how we're going to get home.

You should take the same care with planning for any

leave from your job. You probably make a plan for how you'll transition out. So make sure you

also make a plan for how you will transition back in. Lorina pointed out that people,

...