Being a nanny may be a stressful and demanding job at times. You spend your entire day tending to the needs of the family that employs you, but who looks out for your wellbeing?
If you want to be able to do a decent work, and more significantly, if you want to live a long and healthy life, it is essential that you take good care of your health and well-being so that you don’t become ill or simply exhaust yourself. If you don’t, you won’t be able to do either.
If you want to keep your health in tip-top shape, be sure to think about these five tips:
1. Eat Healthily – Eating well should be a part of everyone’s daily routine; however, when your day is spent chasing after young children, preparing their meals, running errands, and doing other household chores, it’s easy to fall into the trap of grabbing a sweet snack in between chores or eating a microwave dinner or takeout when you finally have time to sit down and eat. If this happens to you, remember that eating well should be a part of your daily routine
Invest some of your time each day on the organisation of your meals and snacks. If you bring your own food to work, make sure to pack some quick and healthy meals that are easy to prepare and that you can rewarm in the microwave when you get there. Talk to your employer about your needs and provide them a list of the different kinds of food that you require if they are the ones who will be providing your meals. Explain to them that setting a good example by eating healthily in the home might help assist their children to develop healthier eating habits.
2. Get Enough Rest – As part of your nanny contract, you should be entitled to a minimum expected time of rest between the conclusion of one working day and the beginning of the following working day. If this is not the case, you should negotiate this with your employer. Make it a priority to make the most of this opportunity to kick back, relax, and get some much-needed rest.
3. Get some exercise. An hour of exercise only takes up 4 percent of your day, and you can break it up into many 10-minute sessions throughout the day if you want to make it last the full hour. You might try jogging or walking to work instead of driving, you could take your kids on a walk or bike ride around the park, you could all dance together, or you could teach your kids how to do yoga. There is a wide variety of methods in which you may integrate physical exercise into your day-to-day life, which will be beneficial not only to you but also to the children in your care.
4. Build time in your schedule for “me” time; keep track of your vacation days and make sure to use them! Take some time for yourself every once in a while, even if you can’t go very far. You could treat yourself to a day at the spa, hang out with your loved ones and friends, or just stay in and watch your favourite programme on Netflix all in one sitting.
5. Communicate with Your Employer If you are feeling overworked, overtired, or like you are about to come down with a cold or sickness, communicate with your employer. Let them know how you feel, and collaborate with them to find solutions that will make your life simpler. Explain that you won’t be able to continue doing your job to the best of your ability, which would put both you and the children in your care in jeopardy if you continued to do it that way.
It’s also a smart move to network with other babysitters in the area. It is comforting to have someone to talk to who is familiar with the struggles that you are going through. They can give you guidance or recommendations based on their prior experience, in addition to provide a secure environment in which you can safely air your problems.
Keep in mind that prioritising your own health and wellbeing is of the utmost significance, and despite how busy you may feel, it is imperative that you find time to focus on your own needs.