Earlier this week I spoke about the importance of building mental fitness before different career transitions. It was a timely reminder as I’m currently going through undoubtedly the biggest transition in my career to date.
Just under five weeks ago my wife and I welcomed our daughter to the world. Last week I returned to my role as Psychology Lead at Fika Mental Fitness following 3 weeks of parental leave.
I don't have any previous experiences to draw upon that could have possibly prepared me for life as a working mum. But what I do have is knowledge and a set of mental fitness tools and techniques that are helping me through.
- Savouring. From the early hours of the morning to when I start work, I savour every moment I have with my daughter taking the time to get to know her. My phone and laptop are nowhere to be seen. Currently she’s fixated on curtains!
- Exercise. I swim at least 3 times a week. Having a newborn can come with lots of new worries. And that’s not good for me or my baby so it’s important that I take time to notice my worries coming and going while moving my body.
- Vulnerability and communication. When you return to work as a new parent you return a different version of yourself. To keep your relationships healthy both at home and work you have to share this evolution. I am lucky to be able to do this both at work and with my wife.
In any job you may not always see the real-world impact that your work is having. But over the past few weeks I’ve felt the impact of my work in mental fitness on a deeply personal level.
What career transition are you facing? And what tools and techniques are you using to get you through it?
