Working Women in Careers and Handling Menopause
Women in the Corporate world have come a long way when it comes to building equality in the workplace. However, there is no doubt that women in the work arena face extra challenges. One of these is having to deal with menopause, which can span over several years and it does have an impact on them while trying to function in the work environment.
Although most women are very aware that they are going to have to deal with menopause, they only have a basic idea of what is going to take place during these years. This means that they are not prepared for the type of challenges that menopause is going to create for them during these years where they are still in the workforce.
One of the best ways to be able to deal with this is by having a better understanding of what takes place during this time and how it could potentially affect any woman no matter what type of career she is involved in.
The Pressures of A Career Combined With The Pressures Of Menopause
If you as a woman are in a career then you are well aware of what type of pressure you are under. Just the fact that you are a woman in the working world is a challenge in itself. In most cases, women have to work harder and often longer hours just to be able to move up the corporate ladder.
It doesn’t matter whether you have entered into menopause or this time of your life is about to arrive soon, getting ready for it can really help you deal with this transition of your life a lot easier.
Preparing for Menopause in the Work Place
Start by identifying the common pressures that you are under in your workplace, such as…..
- Your job demands a great deal of energy on a daily basis
- You are in the position of being a problem solver
- Your work is time sensitive and you constantly have to meet deadlines
- You are required to travel a great deal
- You are a spokesperson and are constantly in the public eye, even if it’s just within your workplace
These are just a few of the common types of pressures which are workplace responsibilities that you may have to deal with. Take a moment to compile your own list. This will act as a guideline for you to be able to apply some of the following suggestions to help you deal with menopause in your workplace.
Those First Subtle Signs of Menopause
As a woman that is involved in a career, most likely you could class your lifestyle as a hectic one. Not only do you have your workplace responsibilities, but you also have a private life. It may be that you have a husband and children. Or, you may be single, but, still have a busy social life. In either case, it is really easy to miss those first subtle signs of menopause.
This can begin to cause some confusion as to why you are experiencing some changes in your body. These changes are slight but you are still becoming aware of them and perhaps pushing them to the back of your mind, simply because you are too busy to deal with them.
These changes can begin to show as early as the mid-thirties, however, between the ages of 45 to 55 is considered to be average.
Changes in Menstrual Cycle
If you have been one of those fortunate women who have up until now had a fairly normal menstrual cycle then you are quickly going to notice any changes. Up until now, you have been able to determine almost the exact date that you are going to get it, and how many days it will last.
Now all of a sudden you are finding each month that you may be a few days late. You also notice that it is changing in duration and perhaps intensity. In fact, there may even be the occasional month where you have missed it all together.
While you are aware of this you may very well just write it off as the cause being because you are under stress. However, you are still able to conceive during this time, so you do need to be sure that you are not pregnant. If there is no other significant cause for the now irregular menstrual cycle most likely you are just entering into menopause.
Hot Flashes
This is something you have most likely heard about in regards to other women going through menopause. In the early stages you may be experiencing them, but as yet are not aware that this is what you are experiencing.
All of a sudden you may feel a little flushed and your first inclination is that you are coming down with a flu bug. Or, you may be in a room where everyone else seems to be comfortable, but you find it uncomfortably warm. This only lasts for a short period of time. However, keep track of this as you will most likely find that this is beginning to happen on more than one occasion.
Something that you should also be aware of is that it has recently been discovered that there are different types of hot flashes.
Mood Changes
Mood changes during the start of menopause can be quite subtle and you may not even realize it at first that you are showing some mood changes. It may start out where someone says something and you become irritated very quickly, however, you don’t say anything and your negative thoughts pass rather quickly. Then you begin to find what used to be your daily normal routine is now beginning to agitate you. Yet, for years you have followed this routine with no issues.
Sleep Changes
This particular early menopause sign is one that commonly occurs, but all types of excuses are found for the cause. You may find that you are having difficulty falling to sleep. Or, you are beginning to wake up at different intervals throughout the night. Then in the morning you just don’t seem to feel rested.
The most common excuses for this happening are its just because you are stressed. Or, you are eating too late at night. Then maybe the room is too light. If you haven’t made any significant changes in your daily lifestyle that would apply to these excuses then most likely it is as a result of early menopause.
What is Happening to Your Body?
Accepting the fact that you are going through menopause you know that it means you are coming to end of your childbearing years. This eventually means you will no longer have a menstrual cycle. But what is actually taking place in your body?
There are different stages of menopauses. During each of these stages, your body is going through some significant changes. These changes are the symptoms that come with menopause and they are as a result of changes that are taking place in the hormones that are associated with the female reproductive system.
What Hormones are Being Affected?
The two main hormones are estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen:
Estrogen is mostly made by the ovaries. Its job is to help with the development of the female body and to keep the reproductive system working properly.
Progesterone:
This hormone has the job of preparing the uterus in the case of fertilization and is needed to support a pregnancy.
Once the reproductive system is no longer needed in your life then these hormone’s begin to fluctuate and eventually decrease in their production.
The Different Stages of Menopause
Most often women that finally recognize that they are in their menopause years have already come through its early stages. In general, it is estimated that menopause in its totality ranges from 2 to 8 years. Different medical experts have their own opinions as to how many stages to menopause that there really are, but most will accept the following….
Start of Menopause
This is sometimes called perimenopause. It is during this phase that the hormone levels are beginning to fluctuate and start to decrease.
Mid Menopause
During this phase, most women are experiencing the most impact from whatever menopausal symptoms that they have been dealing with. The hormone levels are not fluctuating as much but they have declined significantly.
Ending Menopause
In the medical industry, it is assumed that if a woman has gone twelve consecutive months without a menstrual cycle that she has completed menopause. It can still take some time before the menopause symptoms have totally disappeared.
What Symptoms Are Affecting You In the Work Place?
You are most likely aware of the majority of symptoms that come with menopause either because they are so common and you have heard others talk about them, or you are experiencing them. During this time of your life, it is really important that you listen to what your body is telling you.
If you are experiencing something different either physically or mentally it could be as a result of menopause because there are a wide range of symptoms, and every woman is different. At the same time, you should not just assume that what you are experiencing is as a result of menopause. Share your concerns with your health care provider.
It would help to make a list of the symptoms you are experiencing. Then go through the list and check off those that could be affecting you in your workplace. By doing this it will help you determine what extra steps you can take to help you cope with them if they are occurring during your workday.
How Can You Handle These Symptoms During Your Workday?
Once you have identified those symptoms that are interfering with you at work there may be some ways that you can reduce the impact from them. Here are a few examples…..
Hot flashes
These range in their severity. Some woman will just begin to feel extremely warm and mostly in the chest, neck and face area. If you are experiencing this then wherever you are in your workplace try and get yourself situated under the cool air vents. For example, if you are going to a board meeting then quickly glance around the room as to which seat would be closest to the cool air ducts. Also, make sure you dress in layers. This way you can take off your sweater or jacket if you are going through a hot flash.
If flushing is an issue during your hot flashes, make sure you are wearing good foundation makeup as this helps to camouflage the redness that briefly occurs during a hot flash.
Mood swings
This is a tough one to deal with especially if it’s out of character for you. This is often the one that is most noticeable with your co-workers. Learn to identify when a mood swing may be coming on. This way you are prepared to handle it. It gives you the opportunity to excuse yourself if you are dealing with someone that is agitating you. Often this will pass after a short period of time and you can return to the conversation quickly.
If mood swings are occurring outside of a conversation for example, where simple tasks are irritating you, then try to remove yourself from that particular task for a short period of time and come back to it later. It may mean that you have to put some flexibility into your work schedule.
Tiredness
If sleep irregularity is one of your menopause symptoms, you may have to study your sleep patterns closely and see if there is anything you can do to help enhance your sleep. Some women find that going to bed earlier and getting up earlier helps. Others find that when they begin to feel sleepy during the day that just getting up and moving about in the office helps.
Could Menopause Be Having an Impact On Your Work Progress?
With mood swings being one of the most common symptoms of menopause it could be spilling over into your work productivity. This can lead to frustration. You may be agitated because you can’t seem to focus as intently as you once did, or get as much work done during the day. Many times the frustration comes because you don’t fully understand what changes your body is going through. What this means is that you may have to make some changes within your work environment to help compensate for these changes that are taking place. By looking at this in a positive way you will accept it more as a challenge rather than a hindrance. Once you do this it will be much easier for you to deal with.
How To Deal With Your Work Colleagues That May Be Affected by Your Menopausal Years
If you are in a position of authority in your workplace how you conduct yourself is going to affect your co-workers. If they have noted changes taking place in you as a result of your menopause they may share their concerns with you. You have to decide how much you want to share with them. In any event, you need to recognize what they are complaining about and then try and implement some of the steps we have outlined here to help you get a handle on them.
Again, look at this as positive feedback and not as a form of judgment. With your knowing that their concerns are as a result of your having to deal with menopause you will not feel inferior in your work ethics, or that you are no longer fit for your position.
How Do The Menopause issues at Work Carry Over to Your Home Life?
It is easy for anyone to tell you that what happens at work stays at work. Most of us know this is not usually possible. When you are trying to cope with issues that are taking place at work because of menopause it can make it even more difficult.
The whole key to making the transitions through menopause is to totally understand that this is a natural process that your body is going through.
- You are not failing at your job
- Nothing scary is happening to your body
- You are not dealing with any type of mental breakdown
- You are not changing from the person you have always been
These are all thoughts that may be running through your mind, and the time you think about them most is when you arrive home after a day at work. You begin to ponder over all the negative issues that may have taken place in the workplace each day.
There is nothing wrong with thinking these through. In fact, it is a good practice because you are dealing with negative aspects instead of trying to bury them. The important factor is that you recognize the cause and that you can do lots about it now that you are aware of it. You will most likely find that with this type of approach to menopause that you make this process much easier to handle.
It is also important that you have the right type of support at home. You may find our article “Men’s Mini Course for Understanding Menopause” to be a helpful resource for your spouse.