Wellness Tips: Balancing Your Full-Time Job And Pregnancy
Pregnancy. It is at once the most beautiful and stressful thing you may ever experience. At times, it can feel like a full-time job in itself. And so, if you have an actual full-time job with which to contend too, it presents rather a tricky conundrum. Finding the balance between these two hugely important areas of your life can be particularly hard. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you along the way:
1. Learn to say ‘no’ now and then
Do you have a fear of saying the word ‘no’ in the workplace? Do you worry what consequences that short and simple word may yield? Many professionals are scared to say that they can’t do something that is outside of their agreed duties. However, taking on more and more work when you’re pregnant could be seriously detrimental to your stress levels. Workplace stress is one of the biggest modern-day hazards to your health, so you need to avoid it at all costs.
At first, refusing to do extra tasks at work can be hard. You may feel that you’re obliged to go above and beyond to keep your role. Nothing could be further than the truth. So long as you complete the tasks that are within the realms of your job description, no one can say a word to you. Remember that. Your job is by no means your life. It’s important, but by no means more important than your health — or that of your unborn child.
2. Switch off when you get home
Today, more women than ever are working in the lead up to having a child. A substantial 66% of women work right through their pregnancy, according to the latest figures from the Pew Research Center. This number rockets to a massive 87% of women among those who have college degrees. The takeaway is simple — professional women care just as much about nurturing their career as they do their child. That in itself is a highly commendable trait. It should be worn as a badge of honor.
However, that’s not to say that you don’t need time-out when you get home from work. Spending the evening on your smartphone, constantly answering emails is mentally unhealthy. It has to stop. Setting proper workplace boundaries and, crucially, switching off from your job when you get home is extremely important and don’t you forget it.
3. Make time for fun and games
When was the last time you made time for some fun and games? If this happens to be your second (or even third or fourth) child, it could well be the perfect time to start engaging more with your little ones. Creating a strong family environment will help you de-stress and get into the mindset of having a new child.
What’s more, research has proved that this can be seriously beneficial to your mental health. A 2012 study from Kansas State University, found that mothers who spent time playing with their kids and reading to them, were less stressed overall. After all, redefining your priorities by ensuring that you have the right amount of time to be with your family is certain to be a positive step.
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4. Take a yoga class now and then
It may sound like something of a cliche but indulging in a little yoga now and then could be the best way to relieve your stress. Recent research from Manchester University found that expectant mothers could ward off the stresses that are generally associated with pregnancy simply by partaking in some yoga workshops now and then.
“It is surprising this has never been looked at before, we have long believed that it works but no research had been done to back up the theory,” explained researcher, Dr James Newham. “We have now gone some way to prove that it can help. It was not a small effect either. This has the potential to really help mothers who are feeling anxious about their pregnancy.”
Of course, it’s worth bearing in mind that not all yoga classes are the same. Some will have an element of spirituality in them, but if that’s not for you, many will just be exercise-based. For that reason, it’s worth looking around until you find a class that suits you and will give you the experience you want. Oh, and you may even find a class that’s specifically for pregnant women.
5. Prepare your home for your child
One of the major stresses for pregnant women is how they will cope when they first bring their child home. Getting your home ready for your child is likely to make you feel better prepared for this, and so help calm your fears. According to the American Pregnancy Association, this process is called ‘nesting’ and is common for many women during the lead-up to giving birth.
Take a weekend (or even a ‘mental health day’) and dedicate it entirely to creating a space that is perfect for your new child. While approaching this may seem a little daunting to begin with, it will be worthwhile. After you’ve created some literal room for your child, you will feel mentally ready for this new challenge!
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