Tips for moms to stay healthy at work

Being a doctor has allowed me to experience first-hand the potential of the human mind, body and spirit. For this reason, because each one of us is uniquely amazing, we must each take time to take care of ourselves so that we can give the best of ourselves to others.

For mothers, this is certainly not easy. For the working mother, the pressure to perfectly achieve is high. She wants to prove she is indispensable at work while at the same time be the mother and wife or partner with an ‘S’ on her chest. The subject of work-life balance couldn’t be more pertinent to working moms. With this in mind, the first tip I would like to let all working mothers out there know is that there is no ‘perfect’ work-life balance. Don’t strive for a perfect schedule but rather a realistic one. Also, it’s not possible to give priority to everything all the time.

At times, work may take on greater priority whereas other times it will be home matters. For the working moms who have been at it for long, they have achieved their rhythm. For those starting, it’s important to understand that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn along the way. Below are some quick tips for the working mother to help her care of herself so she can care for others:

Eat healthily
This cannot be gainsaid. Our bodies need different food types as they serve different purposes. Snacking is also a good idea but remember to snack on healthy foods such as fruits, plain yoghurt, nuts and seeds.
When eating try to stick to one plate a meal. Half of the plate should be filled with vegetables, and the other two quarters with proteins and starch respectively.
Get enough sleep
Being a working mom, sleep seems a luxury and yet it is not. Sleep is crucial for good health. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Sleep plays the role of boosting immunity, improving memory, restoring, energising, and improving creativity.

Know your peaks and troughs
If you’re a morning person, assign time in the morning for your toughest tasks. Make good use of a time management tool that works well for you to ensure everything you need to do gets done and in time.

Unplug from electronic devices
When you get home or when relaxing from work. This will allow you to truly take a break from your official duties and concentrate on the things that need to get done outside of work.

Take time to exercise
Exercise provides the benefits of keeping one happy, helping with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight, giving an energy boost, maintaining healthy skin and aiding in brain health and memory.

Take breaks from work
Once you’ve worked for 90 minutes, take 15 minutes to stretch and walk around. Practice taking 10 deep breaths when you take a break.

Make time for recreational activities
Work on your hobbies and passions. Fortunately, you can do this with your family.

Check blood pressure
Have your blood pressure checked every six months. This will enable you to be in control of your health and avoid the heart-related scares that will stress you.

Do a Body Mass Index (BMI) yearly
To measure BMI, take your mass in kilogrammes and divide it by your height in metres squared. Normal BMI should range within 20-25. This means you have a healthy weight for your height.

Remain positive and have faith
Patients are known to recover even from debilitating diseases because they believed better would come. Being a mother is the most rewarding journey for every woman who gets to be one.

Ask for help
When overwhelmed, don’t forget you can always ask for help.

The writer is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist.

Adapted from Business Daily