It is definitely good for mothers to work. But for what reasons? For a long time, people have historically associated work with financial benefits only. The majority of people are not aware of other key benefits in social, mental and personal health aspects of working other than money. However there are so many benefits working moms get from working.
Work in this context not only includes working under employment. Working for a mom includes;
- Working in formal employment,
- Being self-employed or running your business
- Working in other non-traditional work such as housewife, or childcare among others.
So why do we need to work? Why do mothers specifically still need to work? Well, because there is so much to gain from working other than the pay. Work gives us a meaning, a purpose, a structure, social inclusion, a learning platform, relationships in addition to income. Such mental, physical, social and personal health benefits are the top reasons why jobs are important in our lives. This post has detailed these work benefits by looking at these categories in depth.
In this post …
Top 6 Guaranteed Benefits Why Working is Good for Moms
Psychological Benefits of Working
1. Working has Health Benefits for Moms
Other than the money, working is good for your health by significantly improving your immunity and wellbeing. The potential health benefits of employment for employed or self- employed women is better physical health and a higher immunity than others. This is a good advantage of being active in work that should not be ignored.
Also, women who work recover faster from illnesses when they fall sick. It is for this reason, that you will find sick and disabled people are encouraged to return and stay in work as long as the condition allows it.
It has also been proven that people who are unemployed or are not working are potential victims of physical and mental health problems are under medication and tend to have a shorter life expectancy. Therefore keep working to reap the health benefits of working.
Read : How to Avoid Burnout while Working
2. Financial Benefits of Working for Moms
Without a doubt, financial income is one of the most obvious benefits of working or being employed for moms. Other than other social and health benefits moms mainly work to get a source of income and sustain their lives, especially if they are single.
Whether you are employed or running your own business you are assured of a stable source of income that will sustain your life. For this reason, you will realize that the salary and financial benefits have become a major consideration for job seekers as they favour employers who offer the highest benefits. Given so the financial benefits of working are a main reason why moms are in work.
Read: Sources of Motivation for Working Moms
The good thing about the financial benefit of work is that it can sustain your life by covering your expenses, investing for the future and having a good social life. With a good income job or business, your work becomes an avenue to allow you to enjoy other things in life.
The money from work will allow you to partake in interests that fulfil your other psychological needs. You can now participate more in fun events and occasions, take your children out, afford a vacation or afford good gifts for your partner which you would not afford if you were not working.
3. Working Benefits Moms Socially
A major importance of having a job is the boost it gives your social life other than the money. This is a major benefit of work that many ignore or fail to value as needed. While hobbies and your other interests can be major ways of enhancing your social circle, work interactions opens you up to more social connections outside the family than when you are not working.
Also work creates connections and exposes you to new networks and connections through working with other people. You get to meet more and more diverse people with different opinions, views and perspectives that enhance your view of life. This is a benefit of working that some moms did not know was crucial.
Read: How to have a Social Life when Working Fulltime
You will also find it easier to vibe with people from your field of work even if you meant outside work. This is a very good social benefit of work that people who do not work or work from home lack.
Work theme events such as workshops, conferences, training among others are great places you get to meet new social and business connections. All these are social opportunities you would miss if you were not working.
At the end of the day, your social life will blossom and you become happier, sociable and open to new friendship even outside work. Your circle of friends and supportive network gradually grows and expands more and more. Given this, social benefits of work should not be ignored by moms but cherished.
4. Psychological Benefits of Working for Moms
Many people ask, is working any good for my mental health? Yes, it is. For which reasons is working well for my mental health as a working mom? Below are the reasons why your emotionally and mentally benefit from work.
- You stand to have better emotional control, resilience and cognitive growth. It is only now that people are becoming aware of the benefit of work in promoting or hindering mental wellness.
- Work utilizes critical and cognitive skills that get enhanced when you are working. You will find you are more creative, innovative, organized, timely, a better decision-maker and do well in planning when you are working.
- Work challenges you into going hard and delivering better.
- Further, the team collective effort for a common purpose enhances mental health for the individuals.
- Work helps you manage stress.Your stress levels go down and you can manage extreme emotions by focusing on work.
- Work also offers a sense of stability that helps you focus on the task at hand and excel in it. This depends on your work environment too. When your workplace is supportive, you shall find that the stability in work helps you overcome a stressful event in your life.
- Feeling productive through work is energizing and good for the soul. It is hard to fully appreciate this benefit until you are at a rock bottom point in life and work allows you to escape and move on.
Read: How to Create a Self-care Plan for Moms
Tip: If possible, work in a field you love and derive joy from it. This will go a great deal into putting meaning in your life through work. Working on a job you hate only for financial reasons will have the opposite impact.
Read: How to Avoid and Manage Fatigue and Burn out from Work
5. Personal Benefits of Working for Moms
Last but not least, working positively impacts your identity, self-image, self-worth and confidence among other things. It is one of the pro of being a working mother.
Through work you learn about and appreciate yourself better. This is because work helps us understand the world, people around us and importantly ourselves. It is one of the advantage that working mothers derive from work.
Work also tends to put us into situations and interactions that we wouldn’t otherwise experience, without work, that assist us in learning about the world around us. By becoming exposed to different people, their different thinking styles at work, you find that you have a better perspective about your life and you tend to understand yourself better. As such work helps mould and make you a better person.
In addition, working enhances your identity. As a working mom, for instance, you will gain a professional identity by working and other identities such as a wife and parent. This professional identity helps you have a positive self-image and self-esteem yourself. It will surely help you maintain positive self-worth that will help find purpose in life.
Tip: Do not make your identity and self-worth only about your work. Besides, be you and avoid comparing yourself with other people but rejoice in your journey.
Read: How to Overcome Working-Mom Guilt
Last Word!
Strive to strike a balance between work and your family. As a working mom, your family is a priority too. Even if you love your job, you can only do so much in a given time. Avoid overworking as this can result in negative impacts from working.
Our bodies are designed in a very smart way. They send us signals when we are not happy or are in an unhealthy environment, especially at work. Learn to listen to your body signals because there is a direct relationship between stress and the immune system.
If work makes you sick or fatigue, it is time to reconsider your work schedule or environment. Remember that there are both pros and cons of working for moms. Avoid the disadvantages of being a working mom and optimize on the advantages that work exposes you as a mom.
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