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Preventing Nanny 'Burn-out'

e2 Here at Nannies of St James we care about the wellness of our candidates; working to place our nannies in more-suitable roles, if coming to us from a point of ‘burn-out.’ As nannies, the emphasis is always on the children and family’s needs; taking on tasks that can be outside the typical job description and lead to a loss of work-life balance at times. As a profession with longer working hours, nannies can be prone to ‘burn-out’ if lacking healthy boundaries and routines.

Open Lines of Communication:

Talking to your family about your own selfcare is not easy, but it is sometimes a conversation that needs to take place. It’s important for certain issues to aired with your employers, so they are aware of your concerns and can implement measures to support you going forward.

Nanny diaries and verbal handovers help keep your employers informed on a regular basis about things that are going on with the children and of new challenges that have arisen within the job. Be open to feedback and continue to uphold these lines of open communication, so issues can be promptly addressed as and when they crop up. This will ultimately keep job-related stresses at a minimum and avoid feeling overwhelmed!

Creating Healthy Boundaries: (especially if a Live-In Nanny!)

Assess your situation and think up ways of setting up boundaries or coping mechanisms to help yourself deal with every day challenges.

With a natural inherent desire to help, nannies are usually more than willing to take on additional tasks and responsibilities in order to support their employers. As someone dedicated to provide care and support, it can be easy to take on more than you have the time and energy to do, leading to a potential burn out. Time mange and confidently prioritise what you’re skilled at, what you enjoy doing and what is required in your role.. with your limits known.

By implementing a fun or relaxing regular practice into your weekly schedule you are more likely to prioritise this break, helping you keep ‘work at work’ and other stresses at bay. This could be an activity that you do already, a previous hobby you’ve been meaning to get back into or something entirely new.. whatever this is, it should be an activity you enjoy and can routinely engage in.

Due to the nature of the profession, most nannies are working well above a 40 hour week with an additional commute to work too. With this mind, it is important to consider ‘over-time’ and ‘additional hours’ carefully, to ensure you’re well-rested and have enough time put aside for yourself. A healthy balance is key!

Positivity/Mental Health:

If commuting, use this time to ‘switch-off’! With a commute still classed as time outside of your hours, it is a valuable opportunity to relax your mind and set a positive start to the day. Whether you read, listen to podcasts or simply do nothing whilst journeying home.. use this time to unwind!

With long working hours it can be challenging to find the time within your day to regularly exercise; but as a direct form of combating stress it is key in preventing job-related burn-out, as well as a healthy lifestyle choice. With many different ways of exercising, it is simply a case of finding a sport or activity that you enjoy and feel comfortable carrying out. More on this topic to come, as we present to you some of our top ‘Nanny-friendly’ exercise classes and activities happening around London!

As a sole-charge nanny it can be a little lonely or isolating at times. It is therefore important to build up a network of nannies who can support and develop you within your profession; as well as create a more positive work environment.

The benefits of maintaining a healthier work-life balance are many! By implementing these precautions against ‘burn-out’ it is likely that you’ll feel more positive at work and ultimately seek longevity within your role!

(Credit: If you’re a fan of ilovedoodle’s illustrations too, please click the image to visit their website!)

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