How to make a stress-free working environment – tips for working moms.
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
Juggling work and kids, multitasking and running around is a challenge only a mother knows. And saying it is stressful would be a huge understatement. It only gets worse for single mothers though. Motherhood is a full-time job, add to that another nine to five job and there you have a full day of stress, anxiety and overwhelming desire to lose your mind.
So, how do we do it? How do we deal with so much stress without breaking at all seams? The answer is we do break, but without anyone seeing.
Then what can we do to help ourselves relieve some of that stress? The answer lies in trying to achieve a stress-free environment at our workplace at least. Here are a couple of tips from a working mom to the rest of the working moms.
Organize and manage your time better
The key tip for avoiding and coping with stress at work is by organizing and prioritizing. The first thing to do is to set your goals and be aware of your deadlines. If you’re an overachiever, learn to control yourself – don’t use up all your energy at your workplace.
Learn how to plan ahead, and how to get organized in order to relieve all the unnecessary stress. This also includes better management of your time.
We know that with kids at home making plans and organizing, even managing your time is next to impossible. Kids are unpredictable, unexpected situations happen all the time. This is why you should take advantage and get your stuff organized at work at least. Yes, work too, knows to be unpredictable, but less so than our children.
Start by making a to-do list, this way you will know exactly what you need to do and what is urgent and what is not. Another useful advice is to avoid the urge to multitask. Yes, that’s what mothers do. But you as a businesswoman don’t have to! Leave the multitasking for when you get home!
Delegate don’t multitask
I guess this one closely relates to multitasking. The hardest thing for mothers (especially single mothers) is learning to just let go and let someone else handle things. If at home this is something you just can’t do, then at least try to do it at work.
Let other people do their work, be trusting but do verify that everything is going according to plan. Knowing what to delegate is connected with your to-do list and your organization plan. If you have a clear objective of all the things you personally have to do for that day, then the rest is something you can easily delegate to someone else.
Falling into the multitasking trap is easy due to our nature as women and mothers. Multitasking comes naturally to us. However, for your own sake, don’t do it in the workplace too. This way you will save a lot of stress and headaches.
Get a massage, breathe and do a bit of exercise
Making small breaks during a working day is always a good idea. Pause, take deep breaths and meditate. Getting carried away is an easy thing to do while working. Because of this, you have to remind yourself to take breaks. These breaks are great ways of relieving stress.
There are many different breathing techniques and methods that can help you calm down and get through the rest of the day. Another good way is the massage, especially if you can have it right there at your workplace at any time.
If you are someone who works on a laptop or a computer a lot, you know how straining it can be on your hands and fingers. Having sore hands is not a good idea if your working day doesn’t end when you leave your workplace. That’s why having a Breo massager on hand at work is amazing. This type of massager performs a soothing massage to both the top and the bottom of your hand.
Another good thing to do is have an exercise ball next to you. Swap a regular chair for an exercise ball from time to time. It is said that sitting on the exercise ball helps relieve discomfort and reduce fatigue. It also helps improve posture and strengthens the core.
Take all the advantages of the breaks while you’re in your workplace, relax, meditate, get the massages that you can and exercise as much as you can because the real party starts when you get home!
Learn to separate work from home
This is probably the most difficult step in achieving a stress-free working environment, but it’s also an important one.
There is nothing more stressful than being at work and thinking about what’s going on at home, or vice versa. This can be a huge challenge if you’re a mom who works from home.
If that is your case, the best idea is to have a separate office space where you can physically move away from all the hustle and bustle of the rest of the house. Try to disconnect from everything that isn’t work-related. But also, don’t overdo it. Have clear working hours, don’t take business calls when you’re not working.
If you are working in an office away from home, this is a bit easier for you, but just a bit. When you’re at work, tell your family not to call you unless it’s absolutely necessary or there is an emergency. Learn to change your mindset once you’re at work. This is the only way you won’t be torn between work and home.
This is extremely difficult but it’s absolutely necessary if we don’t want to lose our hair too early.
Going to and from office
Those little trips to and from the office can be your saving grace. Regardless of whether you drive or walk, take this much need solo time to relax as much as possible. Listen to music, try to disconnect from everything for a bit. Music is an effective way of relieving stress and improving mood after a long day at work and before an even longer day at home.
At first, it will be difficult and your mind will be running a million miles per hour, but in time it will get better and you’ll be able to relax.
Take care of yourself
Spreading yourself thin, both at work and home can only lead to more problems. Being positive and avoiding all things negative should also be important.
Focus on what you can control both at work and at home. Don’t let yourself fall into the circle of bad and negative thoughts. Be grateful and happy about everything you have.
Don’t let the things that you can’t control bring you down and don’t try to be perfect at everything. We are all just human, we make mistakes, at home, at work, everywhere really. Anxiety is real and it can ruin just about everything. Don’t let it.
Self-care is the key element in achieving the stress-free working environment you desire. Take care of your health, both physical and emotional. Because in the end, it’s our health that keeps us standing at the end of a seemingly endless day.
Work is ok, work is important. But your children are more important than anything. And coming back home to your children healthy and in the good mood is crucial. Because kids can pick up on our distress and negative emotions and that can make them stressed too. That’s why take care of yourself and in a way, you will take care of your children.
Work conflicts
Just another factor in escaping unnecessary stress at work – avoiding conflicts. Working environments can be cutthroat – from jealousy to idle gossip to manipulations of all kinds. There are many different ways to get into conflict in the workplace. However, don’t fall into that hole because it can take a serious toll both on your physical and emotional health. And you don’t need that, your children need you happy and healthy.
The best way to avoid any sorts of conflicts at work is by staying away from people who don’t work well with others. Don’t get into unnecessary discussions, don’t overshare details from your personal life, be cordial to everyone and you just might avoid conflicts.
However, sometimes conflict just finds us regardless of how much we try to avoid it. When this happens, find a way to graciously and painlessly deal with it.
Conclusion
Being a mother and a working woman is notoriously difficult, but not impossible. The best way to deal with everything is by creating a stress-free environment at work. Having control over every aspect of our lives is virtually impossible, but making our lives easier and stress-free, when we can, is the right way to go.
Raising small kids and concentrating on your job at the same time can cause a lot of headaches and complications. That’s why knowing how to create a comfortable and stress-free working environment for yourself will lessen your load for a tiny bit at least.