Working full time during pregnancy can be difficult. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think women are more than capable and incredibly strong, but pregnancy can sometimes be tough. Especially if you have other kiddos and you are already trying to find that work/family life balance. I was in my first week of a brand new position at work when I got my positive test. To say the timing was a little overwhelming is an understatement. But it taught me a lot, mostly from making a ton of mistakes, about how to manage stress work stress during pregnancy that I thought I would pass on to you today.
1. Don’t Over Commit
If you are feeling the work life burn-out then try not to overcommit in your personal life. Yes, you may want to attend every event and dinner invitation your receive, but you need to have your down time too. A lot of times our workloads are out of our control, but you can control how much you take on at home. Don’t feel bad if you can’t make every wedding, baby shower, or birthday party, you can always send a gift in lieu of your attendance. Anyone who has worked full time and grown a baby will understand… and if they don’t get it, see ya!
2. Talk To Your Boss
Once you are comfortable about letting your boss in on your exciting new secret you can also discuss how your pregnancy may or may not effect your work. You can request to work shorter hours if you are used to working long physical shifts. If you need to have your work modified, then make sure to speak to your physician to write a note with their specific requirements. Whatever your situation, it’s best to be upfront and let them know how you are managing your workload, they may be much more willing to work with you than you expect.
3. Take Frequent Breaks
Whenever possible make sure to take frequent breaks. If you work a desk job, then make sure you step away from your computer and stretch or if you are on your feet all day, make sure to rest whenever you can, especially in the last few months.
4. Take Time To De-Stess
Whether its a long soak in the tub, or coffee with a girl friend, or a home project make time to do something you love. Making time for yourself will help shake off the stress of your workweek and stop the burnout.
5. Pack Healthy Snacks
During some of my busy workdays I would look at the clock and realize I was just stopping for lunch at 3:00 pm! Nothing feels worse them realizing your are not taking care of yourself, and subsequently your growing babe, #momguilt. I learnt early on that I needed to pack a lot of healthy snacks that I could much on while I worked, especially for the times when I knew a late lunch was going to happen.
6. Burn Off The Stress
I know you are probably ready to Netflix binge and daydream about the wine you are going to drink once you get your body back, but it’s important to balance that out with some healthy activity. Doing light exercise is a sure fire way to burn off some of that work stress and keep your energy up.