Working mums are aware of the importance of having a career besides that of a domestic goddess. Putting income aside, a career gives a woman a purpose, sense of identity and zeal that are separate from what our wifely and motherly roles provide. The downside is that working mums often suffer from "second-shift" work or the exhaustion and possibility of overextending oneself. Stress can be good sometimes because it motivates a person to do better but overexertion can be risky as it can leave a woman overwhelmed or put her on the verge of insanity. Are there ways to diminish stress and escape burnout? Professional coaching can provide assistance in taking guilt away and busting burnout. In the meantime, make use of the following tips to let go of stress and lighten up your mood.
Practice good task management. Prioritise, delegate, and break down into manageable bits. Repeat as needed. These three keys to work-related stress relief will help reduce your workload and tame what may seem like the impossible. Set no more than two to three priorities per day and before punching out, revise accordingly. Sticking to a few will keep you focused and confident—yet, be careful of becoming overly confident! No matter how much we want to maintain a superwoman image, sometimes we simply can't do it all ourselves. If your tasks has accumulated, it's time to designate. Hand over some of your workload and excel in the projects that matter. And, if large projects still inspire trepidation, break them down into bite-sized chunks. Not only does this cut the fear factor, but dividing tasks leaves you feeling you've accomplished more and in less time.
Be nice. Don't be a pushover. In striving to make a good impression at the office, we often want to come across as nice. But beware! The way we choose to define "nice" may get us the exact opposite of what we had desired. One of the traps many working mums fall into is the red zone of extreme niceness, also known as pushover territory. The trick is to learn how to be pleasant and accommodating without being a doormat. Stress your freedom to say "no." If guilt plagues your worried conscience, invoke the cause of your good health and sanity to remind you that saying no is not a negative!
Take a cue from your kids, and play! When you punch out, make sure to leave your work at the office and make time for play each evening. Take up a new hobby, read your favourite magazine, or take the family and dog for a walk. Play time reinvigorates the soul, gets the creative juices flowing, and beats the boredom of your work routine.
See a professional. True to the saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure. Watch for the signs of stress, and keep them in check before they get out of hand. Being proactive will maintain balance and calm in your busy lives and can minimize the effects of office-related stress. Symptoms range from the emotional to the physical and can include insomnia, digestive problems, loss of focus, pain or illness, and moodiness. Have regular physicals to check up your cardio and inform your physician of any pain or discomfort.
But help doesn't have to stop at your G.P's office. Why not sign up for some online coaching? If you're finding the stress is too much to handle, professional coaching can support working mums who finds themselves constantly torn between work and home life.
Amanda Alexander is the Director of Coaching Mums and a widely renowned ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working mums across the globe who long for more time, balance and fulfilment in their busy lives. Download our free eBook especially for working mums with 5 easy ways to achieve balance at
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