It has become a common sight to find families with both the man and the wife working out-of-home, no matter what country you are in. Gone are the days when the breadwinner was the dad and the mum stayed at home all day baking cookies and washing clothes and cleaning up the house. Some people believe this change was for the better, as it helped the woman achieve a greater status and satisfaction in life. But do you know the working mum has to deal with much more stress compared to the working dad?
Although there is such a thing as a division of labor in the house with both parents working, chances are, it is still the mum who takes on the full responsibility. This results in extreme stress from deadlines at work as well as tasks in the home, which poses a strong health risk for the mum.
If the mum is stressed, she is likely to deal with the rest of the family in a snappish manner and she is also less alert to possible problems in her children’s or husband’s health. As such, it is very important that mums learn to take care of herself in terms of dealing with work stress. These practical tips may help her get a hold of her overall health:
1. Leaving work at the office is a must.
Many mums are tempted to bring work home, but it only contributes to additional stress, and robs them of time they would honestly rather spend with their family.
2. Setting priorities may be easier said than done.
But think about this: should anything happen to you physically, your office can replace you in a heartbeat. But nothing can replace your role in your family. That should give you a bit of an idea how to rank them in importance.
3. Making time for yourself is vital.
You might feel that you don’t have enough time as it is for meeting all those deadlines, but making time for yourself gives you a chance to recuperate and recharge. This is crucial not only for your optimum performance but for your own good health, too.
4. Finding relaxing activities to do is a good idea, too, and you can do this as a bonding opportunity with your hubby and kids.
5. You should also be willing to ask for help.
Nobody can be Super-Mum, and if you need to delegate chores to your kids and hubby, by all means, do so. Even younger kids can be taught to clean up their rooms, even if it only means stashing away toys.
6. Finding someone to share your woes with seems to work best for women. This includes your best friends, your mum, whoever you are close with. Many women who are involved in church find it alleviating to share their concerns with a support group, or some profess to feel better after talking things over with God. Whatever works for you, find a way to vent it out.
7. Stopping when you are tired is a common sense practice but not many women know how to do this. Be firm and learn to say no, even if the only reason you have for refusing is that you are tired. You are entitled to have your own rest; in fact, you definitely need it.
8. Be sure to get enough sleep.
Yes, you may be tempted to pull an all-nighter to get it all done, but remember that a good night’s sleep will tend to make you more productive the next day, and it will make the tasks go faster. As much as possible, please try not to compromise your sleep, as constant lack of it can spell a myriad of other ills.
These simple tips should get you on your way to curbing work stress as much as possible. Hopefully they also gave you permission to look after yourself! After all, as a working mum, your health takes top priority, even if you are not conscious about it, and taking these tips to heart may save you a lot of trouble.
Nigeria Women: 9th Most stressed women on earth | Peculiar International Magazine