Strategies to Improve Mindfulness During Pregnancy
Mindfulness
Obie Editorial Team
Kate Matsudaira is a mover-and-shaker-type entrepreneur who thoroughly thrives on her life in the high tech industry. Her repeated successes in overcoming the challenges and risks of exciting startup operations have earned her numerous awards. She’s proud to have been named Geek of the Week by GeekWire, the online news hub that focuses on “the digital frontier,” but life has changed for her. She’s almost halfway through her first pregnancy and she’s finding the need to make some changes like improving mindfulness to her work style.
Matsudaira likens her pregnancy to an athlete recovering from an injury: it can be frustrating and stressful being off the playing field. There was a moment she even considered ending her well-established career as a successful high-tech startup founder and getting a “real job.” Instead of throwing in the towel, a decision she might later regret, she’s learning some coping strategies that incorporate the best of both her worlds - entrepreneur and expectant mother.
One thing Matsudaira has done is cut down on her work hours. She’s gone from a typical 12-hour day to a more “ordinary” 8-hour work day.
These coping strategies work great during pregnancy but they’re ideal for everyone, pregnant or not. It doesn’t take a geek to see how focusing on efforts that bring value and listening to one’s body and mind will make work and play more meaningful and productive.
Source: Soper, Taylor. “How this startup founder is dealing with pregnancy.” GeekWire. Jan 2, 2014. Web. Jan 8, 2014.