Working Mumma

How to live in alignment with your cycle with kinesiologist Ilana Kosakiewicz

Just like there are 4 seasons in a year, there are 4 seasons in a woman's cycle and you can use this to your advantage. In this episode, I speak with leading kinesiologist Ilana Kosakiewicz on how to live in alignment with your cycle and strategies to manage burnout based on her own experiences. I didn't know much about kinesiology prior to this episode but learned so much from Ilana.
Ilana Kosakiewicz is one of Australia’s leading kinesiologists, energy coaches, and yoga and meditation teachers. She is a wholefood lover, entrepreneur with a past life spent working in the corporate world as a CPA accountant.
During this episode, Ilana shares her health journey with chronic fatigue and auto-immune disease and how this has taught her that slowing down, finding moments of stillness, living in the now, and listening to your body’s inner wisdom and intuition are not just important – they are essential.
We also chat about:
* Tools, tips and strategies on using your inner power from living in alignment with your innate cyclical energy, menstrual cycle, and the moon
* Listening to the intuition of your body
* Managing burnout and what Ilana learned from her experiences
* How to manage stress and anxiety on an ongoing basis
* Importance of creating boundaries to ensure we don't burn ourselves out
* Value of self-care
Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook or join the Working Mumma Village membership.
Connect with Ilana Kosakiewicz
* Instagram: @ilanak.kinesiology
* Website: www.ilanak.com.au
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

Managing Stress and Burnout: How Self-Care Can Transform Your Wellbeing with Nikki Knieriem

It has been a long year. You aren't alone if you are feeling burnout and limping to the end of the year.
In this episode, I speak with health coach, Nikki Knieriem, owner of Mum-Me Fit Time, a mother of two young boys, part-time primary school teacher, and lover of all things health. She is passionate about helping women to optimise their health by focusing on four main pillars; exercise, nutrition, sleep and stress reduction. Nikki loves helping women to unlock barriers and practice self-care without adding overwhelm or one more thing on the to-do list.
During this episode, Nikki shares her tools, tips, and strategies on how you can use self-care to manage stress and burnout. She understands that time is limited, the to-do list is always long and often your own self-care practices fall further down the priority list.
We chat about:
* Why we should spend time on self-care
* Value of self-care, especially for working mums
* Why self-care isn't just about the massages and instead find the small pockets of time that you can use to fill your cup
* How to prioritise time for self-care
* How to identify what self-care works for you
* Transitioning out of lockdown live into our "new normal"
Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook or join the Working Mumma Village membership.
Connect with Nikki Knieriem
* Instagram: @mummefittime
* Website: www.mummefittime.com.au
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

Meal planning for busy families with Nutritionist Emily Zilic

Managing the juggle of career and motherhood has its challenges and having a nutritious meal that our kids will actually eat is a whole challenge itself. It can be stressful working out what to eat with children each night.
In this episode, I speak with Nutritionist Emily Zilic where she shares strategies, tips, and advice on meal planning and preparation.
Emily Zilic is a Nutritionist, wellbeing advisor, financial professional, mama and former competitive athlete. She works with busy families and individuals and corporate organisations who want to transform the way they eat, feel and live with nutrition. Her mission? To simplify nutrition for your wellbeing. Emily believes that when you feel your best, you can give your best. At work, home and play.
We talk about the value of planning your meals ahead of time and how cooking in bulk can save you time on those busy weeknights when everyone is hungry and you need to quickly put a meal on the table. Emily also shares tips on introducing new food to your children and how to lose those covid lockdown kilos. She has recently been trialing food delivery services and shares why she is looking at this for her family and experiences so far.
Emily also reminds us to seek health advice from qualified professionals according to our needs and not follow a trend we might see online relating to our children's eating.
This is a great episode with great tips, tricks and advice on meal planning and preparation to save you time and limit your food wastage.
Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook.
Connect with Emily Zilic
* Instagram: @thegoodbiteau
* Website: www.thegoodbiteau.com
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

Understanding Matrescence - the transition to becoming a mother with Louise East

Have you heard of the term "Matrescence"?
I hadn't until recently.
In today’s episode of the Working Mumma podcast, I am joined by certified Mindset and Life Coach and Matrescence Facilitator, Louise East More to Mum. The focus of our chat is on Matrescence, the journey of becoming a mum.
I wasn’t too familiar with the term, Matrescence prior to speaking with Louise, but I’ve recently seen it referred to many times since. She gives a good overview and understanding of the term, it can give the journey into motherhood and the rollercoaster this can be much more clarity by knowing you aren’t alone and it is normal.
Louise also unpacks what it means to be a mum, the mental models, and societal expectations we place on mothers. We talk about what it's meant to be a “good mom” and with practical tips and advice to help you overcome this. Matrescence is about the journey of becoming a mum and it can last 18+ years, but I don't think we really ever stop being a mum do we?
Have you heard the term Matrescence?
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app. I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a rating & review.
Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook.
Connect with Louise East
* Instagram: @moretomum
* Website: www.moretomum.com.au
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

Women’s health and postnatal recovery with physio Kath Baquie

We often don't talk about recovery after birth and how to prioritize time for looking after yourself with a new bub enough.
It takes ~9 months to have a baby and a similar time to recover. Our bodies are amazing, but we also need to let them heal after birth.
Building up to exercise is important. You don’t go from couch to completing a marathon in one run. You gradually build up to it over time. This is exactly the same as returning to exercise after you have had a baby.
Have you started to exercise again after bub and realised not everything felt as it should? In this episode, I speak with physio Kath Baquie and she explains, our pelvic floor is like a band that has been stretched and we need to allow it time to recover and strengthen again.
Kath and I talk about:
* How our bodies are impacted by pregnancy in ways we don't expect
* Why it is important to do pelvic floor rehabilitation
* Rehab process after vaginal and caesarian births and building up to exercising again
* Periods when you may experience pelvic floor issues and how to manage this
* Why you should have a postnatal assessment before returning to exercise after pregnancy
* Understand what is a pelvic floor assessment
* Tips to incorporate exercise into your everyday life with your children
Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook.
Connect with Kath Baquie
* Instagram: @fitnestmama
* Website: www.fitnestmama.com
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

5 tips for returning to work after maternity leave

Returning to work after maternity leave can be quite daunting and challenging after having a period of time away. In this episode, I share with you five tips for returning to work after maternity leave.
I like to think that returning to work after maternity leave is a transition. I don't believe you go to work one day, and you have returned after maternity leave. There are many mental and physical transitions that happen well before you open up the computer and log in again.
Enjoy these 5 tips with a special bonus at the end.
Resources mentioned in this episode
* Enroll today in the "Return with Confidence" 4-week program starting week commencing 8 November
* Download "3 steps to Sharing the Mental Load" including a mental load audit
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook.
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

The future of flexible working with Fiona Wilhelm

Lockdowns and working from home have benefited many working parents to allow more family time and reduce the office commute. As we enter the next phase of discovering our "new normal", in this episode I speak with Fiona Wilhelm, mother, an Innovation Coach for KPMG’s Australia’s Management Consulting Division, and the co-founder of a Future of Work employee support platform - 3two.
We chat about all things flexible work, how parents can navigate flexible work arrangements in the future work best for them and their families.
As Fiona highlighted people don't "go to work for the money, there's obviously, a base-level survival thing for some people. But at the end of the day, people want meaningful relationships in their lives, they want values alignment, they want to feel like they're making a difference. They want to feel like what they do make some impact. That underlines the approach to the future of work that is employee-driven and fostering the current war for talent.
The lines between work and home have been blurred and flexible work is here to stay. There is now the opportunity for the office space to be reimagined on how it is used and for what tasks. This is doesn't happen very often and should be acted upon to re-evaluate how we work and interact going forward.
Fiona had many great hints, tips, and observations during our chat. As she notes, no one has all the answers. But this episode will leave you thinking about how you want to work going forward and what are your non-negotiables.
Happy listening.
Continue the conversation and join the free Working Mumma Community on Facebook.
Connect with Fiona Wilhelm
* Instagram: @fiona.wilhelm
* LinkedIn: Fiona Wilhelm
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

Combating Imposter Syndrome with Anne Koopmann-Schmidt [IGTV]

Welcome to Day 3 of the Working Mumma 3 Day Live Event Series. In this episode, I speak with Anne Koopmann-Schmidt and we talk about combating imposter syndrome.
We chat about:
* What is imposter syndrome
* Why we feel we need to know it all, but when we really don't
* Why do people experience imposter syndrome and situations where it appears
* Overcoming the thought "someone is going to find me out"
* Why confidence and mindset are important in overcoming and managing imposter syndrome
* Importance of knowing your strengths and doing inner work
* How you can turn imposter syndrome into a positive
Connect with Anne Koopmann-Schmidt
* Instagram: @annekoopmann_leadlikeyou
* Website: www.annekoopmann.com
Connect with Working Mumma and Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

3 Steps to Sharing the Mental Load [IGTV]

Welcome to Day 2 of the Working Mumma 3 Day Live Event Series. In this episode, I share with you 3 Steps to Sharing the Mental Load.
The mental load is that feeling like we do everything, the organising, the present buying, planning, we remember everything & seem to bear the emotional labour for running the household and the family around you. Sadly the load isn’t always equal.
Why do women take this on? It might sound a little controversial but one thought is society & the expectations that have been passed down on what we “should” be doing as mothers. Traditionally women stayed at home to look after the family. But, in the 21st century with many women juggling career and motherhood, sadly some of the historical “norms” remain.
Does it have to be like this going forward?
No.
How can it change?
I’ve got strategies and a 3 step framework that I share with you in this episode to create better harmony in sharing the mental load.
DOWNLOAD your free copy of "3 Steps to Sharing the Mental Load" as I talk about in this episode.
Doors are now open to the Working Mumma Village membership. For more information and to join, click here.
Connect with Working Mumma/Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien

Balancing work and school holidays with Joyce Watts - IGTV

Each day this week I am doing an Instagram Live and uploading the recording as a podcast episode as I know it can be a little tricky listening to an IGTV.
This is the first IGTV and I spoke with Joyce Watts, a corporate lawyer turned serial entrepreneur. In the past ten years Joyce Watts has started four successful businesses with 2 kids in tow and she is passionate about empowering women to create businesses so that they have the flexibility and freedom to be their own boss while juggling the demands of family life.
We chat about:
* Tips about balancing work and managing the kids during school holidays (which is obviously different to remote learning)
* Outdoor & indoor activities for toddler & primary aged children
* How Joyce juggles work & her family life
* The importance of outsourcing as a business owner and working mum
* And much more!
Doors are now open to the Working Mumma Village membership. For more information and to join, click here.
Connect with Joyce Watts
Instagram: @tothotornot
Connect with Working Mumma/Carina O'Brien
* Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
* Facebook: @workingmummaAU
* Website: www.workingmumma.com.au
* LinkedIn - Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien