Over the years, I have interviewed hundreds of women in order to help better understand the reasons they were holding themselves back.

Women often have commonly repeated fallacies – or mental models – that we use, and which served only to stop them reaching their goal of re-joining the workforce. Scroll down to see them and how to think differently about them. They may seem familiar to you.

Myth 1: ‘I’m needed at home. The family wouldn’t cope without me’ 

You’ve probably cast yourself in this role, becoming the default parent, making every job in the family your own, absorbing the domestic minutiae. Arguably this behaviour can come from a feeling of guilt about not working, or a need to feel indispensable. Division of labour and domestic tasks is always fraught but if you’re clear and specific other people can do more. 

Myth 2: ‘I’m unemployable. I’ve been out too long. My skills are not relevant.’ 

Common concerns. As if your earlier, often successful career counts for nothing. This is madness. Everything you learned and did before you took a career break did not suddenly get thrown out along with the disposable nappies. And all that life experience since enhances your ability to get a job done.  

Myth 3: ‘I’m too old.’ 

Ageism is rife. And wrong. Don’t become one of the perpetrators. You can’t fix it overnight, but you can definitely fix how you respond – to other people’s attitudes and comments and to your own perceptions. With age comes wisdom, perspective, experience. Some of the things you have done prior to your career break – for example, dealing with challenges during the 2008/9 financial crisis – won’t have been experienced by many in the market now. 

Myth 4: ‘I won’t be as good as I was before.’ 

You’ll be different. Possibly better. You know more now. You’re ready for a new chapter. You have wisdom to impart and experience to bring to bear.