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Working mum burnout: Some coping advice to lessen the stress
Dealing with everyday life can be tiring especially if you’re a mum. There are so many things that you have to accomplish in a day. Add the stress and pressure, and you’ll surely burn out and would just want to sleep all day.
Luckily, there are practices that you can try. Here are some ways you cope with stress to avoid being burned out.
- Ditch perfection, welcome creativity!
Throw perfection off. Honestly, it’s getting you nowhere, and it’s a big action blocker.
Expecting perfection, especially when you have so many demands on your day, will stop good things from getting done. Committing to ongoing improvement doesn’t mean striving for perfection every moment.
Creativity, on the other hand, makes you think and act on better ways to survive and thrive as a working mother. It’s as they say, don’t work hard, work smart!
- Learn to trust your children
This one can be so hard but we have to trust our children out there and we can start by giving them the right tools. Drowning in responsibility can make you forget to trust your children and their ability to solve problems and enjoy themselves positively.
As parents, we are constantly trying to set up an environment where our children can thrive. But trying your best to set up ways where your children can develop themselves responsibly might not always end up as you had envisioned. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong! Parent the way that’s right for you.
- Thank your supporters and recognise when you have support
Luckily, the world is becoming a place where people start to understand more of everybody’s everyday lives. We are becoming more open to what others are experiencing thus creating countless support groups for every life aspect that we can think of.
Support for working mums is becoming more accepted. There are increasing numbers of advocates for working mums. This helps ease the burden and can even influence HR policies.
On the other side, if you’re in management ask: Will I recognise the signs of struggle when I am dealing with a working parent/caretaker? If I see a mum struggling at work, what am I doing as a manager or as an organisation to help?
From the answers that unfold, we can build a safe space where working mums and parents can feel safe at their workplace in every condition or situation.
By showing mums you care about their needs, you can help empower them to continue juggling their work and home lives in a way that works best for them.
- Be aware of what gives you energy
As a working mum, burnout is inevitable as you juggle work and chores the whole day. So we’ll need to recharge our energies and fill back your cup. It can be: Your children’s hug, a laugh with a co-worker, things that go right, good ideas for the job, nice and appreciated activities with your family.
Those moments can do wonders when you’re depleted. Try to find satisfaction and thankfulness for your job and your co-workers or people who support you in your job. If what gives you energy is to scramble for more flexible measures, then do it!
- Know when to rest and take care of yourself
This one is the hardest, both emotionally and practically. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you know that. But at the same time, you might not know how to refill or step into a more balanced way of being a working mother.
There are many ways to take care of yourself: Take moments for yourself, rest, work out, empty your mind for some time, give yourself pampering sessions. Doing what you love and prioritise them. Always remember that it’s okay to preserve your energy! You don’t need to stress about being a working mum by doing everything.
- Use the skills you already have that are transferable
Successfully dealing with multiple priorities is a skill you learned being a tired working mum. It has been useful in both motherhood and even in the workplace but it’s not the only one you have! You possess: Patience, communication, problem-solving mastery, creativity.
These are skills you can use for parenting and working as well as for creating meaningful relationships with others. This is a huge emotional lifesaver you can use when you feel overwhelmed and exhausted! Remembering everything you’re capable of is an important mental safety net. Remind yourself.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of yourself, recharging, and giving yourself a moment of grace and self-rest is a huge ‘breathe in and breathe out’ reminder when you are feeling burnout. Being aware and connected to enjoyment in every moment pushes your creativity forward.
Being a mum is hard. Being a working mum is even harder. The world is changing fast, puts more demands, but opens new doors and creates more resources.
The employer mindset regarding working mothers is slowly changing, and different services are being created to support mothers and help them to adapt to new circumstances, from meditation apps to online scheduling solutions.
Allow the way you juggle work and motherhood to evolve as the world evolves. Using these simple techniques will help you to get a piece of mind and enjoy the most important and the most incredible job ever – being a mum of course! — lifehack.org
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
