by Admin | 04.02.2019
Caring for an unwell family member or friend can be overwhelming if it’s ongoing. Looking after the daily needs of another person, when they are physically or mentally unwell often takes a toll on the mental health of the carer. In most situations, a carer’s focus is on the person they are caring for, with little or no regard for their own physical and mental needs.
As a full-time carer you are probably faced with unrelenting demands on your time and energy resulting in feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt, leading to high levels of stress. Whilst small levels of stress are manageable, when it reaches levels that prevents you from maintaining a job, managing relationships with friends and families, gives you suicidal thoughts and generally prevents you from thriving as a happy adult, it’s time to get help.
Mindfulness is a method of destressing that has risen to prominence in the last ten years due it’s success in helping people cope with stress.
At Working for Carers, we have introduced mindfulness workshops at our centres across London, to help carers deal with the stress associated with their role as a carer to get them feeling confident and ready to enter or re-enter the job market.
So, what is mindfulness and how can it help you as a carer?
“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” www.mindful.org
1. Mindfulness helps us centre ourselves and pay attention
The mindful practice of paying attention to the present moment helps us control repetitive, and non-productive thoughts that lead to stress. It allows us, in effect, to self-regulate.
2. You become aware of your thoughts allowing you to step back from them and not take them so literally. That way, your stress response is not initiated in the first place.
3. You don’t immediately react to a situation. Instead, you have a moment to pause and then use your “wise mind” to come up with the best solution.
4. Mindfulness switches on your “being” mode of mind, which is associated with relaxation. Your “doing” mode of mind is associated with action and the stress response.
5. You are more aware and sensitive to the needs of your body. You may notice pains earlier and can then take appropriate action.
6. You are more aware of the emotions of others. As your emotional intelligence rises, you are less likely to get into conflict.
7. Your level of care and compassion for yourself and others rises. This compassionate mind soothes you and inhibits your stress response.
8. Mindfulness practice reduces activity in the part of your brain called the amygdala. The amygdala is central to switching on your stress response, so effectively, your background level of stress is reduced.
9. You are better able to focus. So you complete your work more efficiently, you have a greater sense of well-being, and this reduces the stress response. You are more likely to get into “the zone” or “flow,” as it’s termed in psychology by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
10. You can switch your attitude to the stress. Rather than just seeing the negative consequences of feeling stressed, mindfulness offers you the space to think differently about the stress itself. Observing how the increased pressure helps energise you has a positive effect on your body and mind. (www.mindful.org)
Our mindfulness workshops will run in the following boroughs – Ealing, Enfield and Harrow (please choose your nearest borough) and will include mindful meditation, education and discussion.
We hope that our sessions will help you deal with the daily stress of caring for someone by paying non-judgemental attention to the here and now and stepping out of the constant cycle of unhelpful thoughts and emotions.
If you are ready to re-enter the working world or about to start a job, embracing mindfulness and its stress management techniques may be just what you need to build your confidence and self-esteem and get you work-ready.
Please do give us a call on 020 8868 5224 to find out more or visit our workshops page to find the next available mindfulness session. We look forward to hearing from you.
by Admin | 18.01.2019
If you’ve been away from the workforce to attend to your loved one as their full-time carer, the thought of re-entering the workforce can be daunting. We have met several carers who, after several years of being away from work, lack the confidence and sometimes the skills to pick up where they left off in their careers.
As a carer, you may be in a position to resume your career after several months or even years; perhaps the person you are caring for has passed away or moved into a care home, or even recovered, giving you the opportunity to get back into work.
Where do I begin? is the question we get asked most when we work with carers re-entering the workforce?
Step 1 is to assess your job wants and needs. Ask yourself if you were happy with your previous career and is it something you want to continue. This is a good time to reflect on whether you were happy in your previous career or you’d like a change in direction. Often, after a break or an emotional journey, your life goals and perspectives might undergo a change, resulting in a need to alter your career goals as well.
If you find that you are happy with your previous career and wish to resume it, you might need to re-acquaint yourself with the industry. Chances are that things have changed since you were away. We would suggest you reconnect with your network; get in touch with previous colleagues and previous employers. Attend industry conferences and events to understand how things are and how they’ve changed.
Talk to people… this sounds simple, but word-of-mouth is one of the most effective ways to secure a job. Let people know that you are in a position to resume your career, especially people in the same industry as you. But talk to everyone, because there is always someone who may know someone who may be looking for your skills.
Whether you choose to remain in the same career as before or you choose to move to something entirely different, you will need to refresh your skills or retrain. The speed with which technology is moving means that even if you have been away from the workforce for a few months, you will need a refresher course. If you have been away for several years, you will need some sort of upskilling to avoid feeling out of touch.
In addition to taking classes or training courses, you might even consider volunteering in the field you are interested in to understand what’s involved, where you need to re-skill and whether it’s the kind of career you want to be in.
Once you have decided your career path and learned the necessary skills needed to secure a role, you need to do what we call the “job search essentials.” This includes:
- Updating your CV – we can help you with that through our CV-writing workshops
- Brush up on your interview skills – Please sign up for our interview tips workshop
- Contact recruitment agencies that specialise in your field
- Look for career returner programmes in your field. These programmes are usually related to large organisations as part of their HR policies and are designed to support people re-entering the workforce.
At Working for Carers, we understand the apprehensions and reservations you may have about re-entering the workforce after a break. Many of the carers we have helped secure a job have lacked the confidence and know-how to move forward. That’s exactly what we are here for; to provide a helping hand and support system to empower you to take the next step.
Please give us a call on 0208 868 5224 so that we can help you get back to work.
by Admin | 18.01.2019
As a full-time carer, looking to earn some extra money or secure a part-time job that allows you the flexibility to fulfil your caring responsibilities, can be a challenge.
However, with the rapid growth of the Internet and its global connectivity, remote working and starting an online business are options that will give you almost everything you need to:
- Earn extra money
- Work part-time and flexible hours
- Continue with your caring duties
What kinds of jobs can you do online?
As long as you have good internet connectivity, there are several online opportunities that can work around your caring duties.
- Be an eBay or other online marketplace seller
eBay is an online marketplace, where anyone can sell their items, and buyers can browse through them, and buy them if they choose to. That’s it. It’s like selling off your old possessions at a car boot sale, only online.
There are many people who, whilst they want to sell items on eBay, don’t have the time or know-how to do so. They need someone who would spend the time online and do what’s necessary to sell their goods for a fee. That could be you.
You would need to organise storage, packing and postage and insurance for the goods, but these are logistics that you could work around your time schedule.
- Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants are contract or freelance workers who do their jobs from home and focus on administrative tasks that are similar to those of an executive assistant or secretary. Depending on your skills and experience, you could take on responsibilities such as:
- Bookkeeping
- Online Research
- Data Entry
- Data Presentations
- Managing Email and correspondence
- Social Media Management
- Travel management
- Management of tasks and scheduling
- Following up on new business
In the UK, typically, VA’s earn between £20-25 per hour. You could set your hours e.g. 9:00- 12:00 every day or work in the evenings after everyone has gone to bed, being in control of how you want to or can structure your day.
- Freelance
Depending on your skill set, you could freelance via sites such as www.upwork.comor www.fiverr.com. These sites allow you to add your skill set and experience and give you the opportunity to find jobs you may be interested in or allow potential customers to find you. You have the advantage of setting your own hourly pay, which is usually dependent on skill level and experience.
Typical skills that are in demand via these websites are:
- Graphic designer
- Web developers
- Mobile developers
- Copywriters
- Translation
- Digital /Online marketing
- Accounting
- Administrative
- Customer Services
- Consultant
Often, people find themselves taking on the role of full-time carers later in their lives, after being in the work-force for several years. If this is you, you should know that your experience is invaluable and may benefit companies who could use your expertise as a consultant. With systems like Skype and Zoom, you could share your industry or technical knowledge with companies across the world. And you could set your own hourly and daily rates, working around your caring schedule.
- Tutors
Today, many adults and children use Skype and Zoom to get help, learn new skills or pursue hobbies in several different areas. There has been an exponential growth in online tutoring across the world and if you have teaching experience or in-depth knowledge of a particular subject, you could be a tutor. For example,
- Academic tutors – Maths. English, Science for Exams 11+, GCSE, A-Levels
- Language – for adults and children looking to learn or improve their French, Spanish, German, Hindi, Gujarati
- Music – Piano or Guitar lessons via Skype
- Hobbies – Art, Photography
There are several options for either starting a business online or doing some part-time work from home remotely. At Working for Carers, we’ll be glad to help you through the process, should this be the best career option for you at this stage.
Whilst, these are some extremely practical options, there are a couple of areas, we believe, need to be considered.
- Working from home, online, doesn’t give you the opportunity to go out, meet people and be part of a team. It can be very isolating and if your caring role is intense, you may want to find a job or career that gets you out of the house.
- You would effectively, be setting up your own business. This comes with the need to create a company, register with Companies House and managing your accounts and taxes. Ideally, you would need an accountant to help you out. If you are an accountant, that’s great. If not, perhaps you have a friend or family member who can assist and guide you.
If starting a business online or getting a job that allows for remote working interests you, please give us a call on 0208 868 5224. At Working for Carers, we work closely with both carers and employers to find the best solutions to help carers get back into work. Our team of expert advisors will assess your needs and support you in the areas you need help. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.
by Admin | 18.01.2019
Adding the words ‘part-time’ or ‘flexible’ to your job search invariably reduces the options available. On the other hand, more and more employers are offering part-time, or flexible working conditions simply because it’s much easier to manage now than ever before. Not only has technology revolutionised the way business is conducted allowing for real-time communication without the need for face-to-face interaction, but the importance of work-life balance has changed how people believe they should live.
Whether you are a carer, or a parent who needs flexible hours or someone who doesn’t believe in the traditional 9-5 work schedule, there are plenty of flexible or part-time work options available. The trick is to find the right one that pays well enough.
Here are our top tips that have worked for some of the carers we have assisted.
- Freelance… If you already have specific skills e.g., accountant, graphic designer, copywriter, web developer, etc. you could freelance and work on projects that suit work around your caring or other responsibilities. Freelancers usually charge on an hourly basis or on a project basis so you could set your own prices and work the hours that suit you. Websites such as Upwork and Fiverrallow freelancers to post their skills, prices and availability to be matched with companies requiring their skills. Whilst this can be a lucrative part–time option, you will have to spend time pitching for projects and going out there to “get the business.” Also, you will need to manage your own finances and tax returns or hire an accountant. If that’s already something to do, freelancing is a great way to work on your own terms, earn well and work around your caring duties.
- Educate or re train yourself… If you believe you need to upskill, it might be a good idea to undertake an educational or training course that would give you the practical know how of a profession, for example, teaching allowing you to become a tutor, website development, writing, allowing you to become a copywriter, accounting, etc. You’ll need to consider the cost and intensity of these training courses, but if it’s something you can manage, it will be a useful stepping stone in allowing you to build a career over time that works around your needs. There are several part-time courses that are available. Please do talk to one of our team members, who will be able to guide you through your options.
- Use the practical knowledge we all have…If you are unable or prefer not to “go back to school,” there are other jobs that can offer a good part-time wage. These include; caring assistant (but it may not be something you want to do if you are already caring for someone), cleaner, delivery driver, childminding, looking after pets and others. Whilst these may not be the ‘dream jobs,” they offer reasonable hourly rates and allow you to choose the hours you want to or can work.
- Current or previous employer…If you are in a position where you need to leave your job to look after a loved one, or have already left a role to become a full-time carer, discuss part-time options with your employer. Finding committed and talented people is extremely difficult and employers are open to working with employees in offering flexible options to retain them. Don’t automatically assume your employer will ask you to leave if you need to cut your hours or even take a break for a while.
We are fully aware that ‘one size doesn’t fit all.’ What works for one family will not work for another. That’s why it’s important for you, as a carer, to contact us so we can assess your specific situation and advise you on the best options (of which there are several, not just what we’ve listed above) for you to get back into employment.
We have worked with several carers and have helped them find well-paid, part-time or flexible jobs to fit around their caring duties. Please give us a call at 0208 868 5224 to find out how we can help you find a role that works for you.
by Admin | 18.01.2019
As a full-time carer, it’s challenging to be able to hold on to a job. Responsibilities around your caring duties and the unpredictable nature of the situation make it difficult to commit to a specific job. For many of the carers we work with, finding and securing jobs that offer flexible solutions like part-time, shift work and working from home are exactly what they need.
Working from home is often the only way many of our carers can work, as it not only provides an income, but allows for the highest level of flexibility; you can work the hours that suit you, whether it’s early morning or late at night. And it’s never been easier. With tools such as Skype, Zoom, Google Docs, Xero and Quickbooks Accounting and others, the way business is conducted has undergone a revolution due to technological advancements.
Today, many, if not most employers are not only open to the idea of work from home, but actively encourage it. In addition to being able to access a much wider pool of talent who would otherwise be unable to work, business owners are able to minimise overhead costs incurred through office space, equipment, etc.
Whilst working from home is a practical and positive alternative to rigid job schedules, it requires a high level of self-motivation and discipline to ensure that you get the job done.
Here are some tips to ensure that home working is worthwhile and effective.
As far as possible, set specific work hours that allow you to focus on your job but around your caring responsibilities each day. For example, if the person you are caring for goes to bed by 9:00pm, you can work every evening from 9:30-11:30pm or if they take a nap in the afternoon, you could work afternoons. There will be times when you can’t keep to the times you’ve set, but overall try and stick to a routine.
Communicate your hours to your employer and manage their expectations so that they are aware that you are not available at all times.
Set yourself daily tasks and track your time. Take some time each morning to plan your activities and be aware of how much time you are spending on each task. If you are doing client-based work, make a note of the time spent on each client and maintain a time sheet.
Prioritise your tasks. Different activities have different priorities. Complete your most important tasks first. In fact, plan your most important task the evening before and get to it first thing in the morning. Batch your emails and telephone calls so that you don’t spend all day responding to them. Set aside 3-4 time slots through the day to catch up with your correspondence.
Use any and all available technology to increase productivity and save time. There are plenty of apps that can manage your calendar, meetings, to do’s, notes and documents. Use them; they make working from home more efficient and stream-lined. Some of the most popular apps are Evernote, Any.do, Fantastical 2, Due and Dropbox.
Recreate the work environment. If possible, avoid working from the kitchen table or the couch. Find a space in your home that you can exclusively have as your workspace with your desk, computer, printer and any other equipment you may require. Make this work area is as quiet and comfortable as you need it to be with adequate lighting and heating and one where the environment is most conducive to your productivity, perhaps with some plants and paintings.
Get rid of the clutter especially on your desk. A clear desk symbolises a clear mind allowing for thoughts and processes to flow smoothly. It also saves large amounts of time as you would know where everything is. Eliminate anything you don’t need for your work.
Dress for success. It’s very tempting to ignore your “look” and spend all day in your pyjamas or loungewear. However, it takes you away from being in “work mode” and leaves you open to distractions. According to Dr. Karen Pine, professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and fashion psychologist,
“When we put on an item of clothing it is common for the wearer to adopt the characteristics associated with that garment. A lot of clothing has symbolic meaning for us, whether it’s ‘professional work attire’ or ‘relaxing weekend wear’, so when we put it on we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning.”
Don’t ignore ergonomics. You cannot be effective if you are not physically comfortable. Do some research on the sort of chair you need and adjust its height so that you are not slouching and straining your back or neck. Long term aches, pains and fatigue in the workplace are often caused by poor posture.
Make sure you take regular breaks. Taking frequent breaks can increase productivity and creative thinking and prevent stress and exhaustion. A short walk or run around the block or a trip to the shops might be a good way to rejuvenate yourself.
Working from home can be very lonely. So, try and step out to meet friends and family as and when you can. If your employers are organising a social event, if possible, join them. It will give you a sense of being part of a wider team and a sense of belonging.
If work from home is a route to getting back to work that interests you, please give us a call on 0208 868 5224. At Working for Carers, we work closely with both carers and employers to find the best solutions to help carers get back into work. Our team of expert advisors will assess your needs and support you in the areas you need help. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.
