Working Mama March/April 2023

WORKING

March/April 2023 | Issue 014

ELIZE FISHER

SECOND CHANCE CAREER

10 MINUTE Make-up looks

New issue, new editor

5 family friendly destinations to explore this Easter

5 WAYS TO SAVE ELECTRICITY

Coping with multiples

OUR VISION

To help working moms live a more fulfilling, successful, and balanced life.

OUR MISSION

To inspire working moms to feel empowered in their careers and motherhood. To create more time in their days and build a sustainable life and business/career.

OUR VALUES

Embracing Diversity & Inclusion. Fostering an environment of collaboration across teams. Building meaningful connections. Building a culture of diverse perspectives and talents to support individual growth. www.workingmamaza.com

CONTACT US

+27 71 871 6601

elizefisher@workingmamaza.com

candacefeinberg@workingmamaza.com

EDITORIAL TEAM

Publisher

Elize Fisher

Editor-in-Chief

Candace Feinberg

Staff Writers

Johanne Kabiwa

Nabila Mayet

Nadia Horn

Nyan Rath

Ra’eesa Kerbelker

ART & DESIGN

Raeesa Webster

SPONSOR

Mommy Wellness (Durbanville)

FOLLOW US

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@workingmama_za

“There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.”

- Bosa Sebele

5 family friendly destinations to explore this Easter

18

5 ways to save electricity

20

14 21

Discover 9 secrets of weight loss

- Salma Ansari 24 27

5 years of managing diabetes without medicines

-Suvarna Reddy

One last thing: Motherhood! Not perfect, not guilty either

Book Recommendations

New issue, new editor!

By Candace Feinberg

Candace Feinberg is the new editor of Working Mama Magazine, a go-to resource for working moms. With a background in journalism & digital marketing, she offers a fresh perspective on the magazine’s content. She is also the mom to a beautiful blended brood of three boys.

With a passion for writing and publishing, Candace is committed to delivering empowering and inspiring content to readers and to help the publication reach its full potential.

Q1: What excited you about joining the Working Mama team? This magazine speaks to me on so many levels! I’m a working mom so it appeals to me as a reader but even more importantly, I love creating content that inspires, educates and empowers women. Working Mama does exactly that so how could I refuse?

Q2: How do you balance work and being a mom?

This is something I really struggled with in the past when the boys were younger, even with a supportive hands on partner. I had to work hard to let go of wanting to be super-mom and really started investing in my own mental and spiritual wellbeing. Now I make sure that I ask for help, prioritise tasks and take regular breaks to simply be and hang out with myself.

Q3: What keeps your plate full these days? What’s your job? I manage the Magazine in a freelance capacity afterhours and on weekends and work fulltime as a Digital & Studio Manager at The Really Great Brand Company. I’m also a budding Health & Wellness entrepreneur, watch this space.

Q4: What’s your honest answer to ‘ why do you work’?

I am a doer by nature and coming from a working class background definitely instilled a deep work ethic in me. If money was no concern, I’d be pursuing writing and organising world-wide hiking trips fulltime.

Q5: What’s one thing that could make your working mom’s life easier? A homework tutor!

Q6: How would you encourage other working moms who are overwhelmed?

Stop and take 3 deep breaths. A simple hack to help you pause and take stock. It might sound a bit clichéd, but prioritise and do the one thing that will help you move forward.

Any last words…

Lead with love and engage from a space of mutual respect.

10 MINUTE MAKE-UP FOR WORK

By Johanne Kabiwa

To achieve a quick make up look, we need to start with the basics, first moisturize your skin and apply your sunscreen then your primer. Applying a primer is a simple step but very important as it will help the makeup sits better and will last longer.

Here is the step by step to achieve a 10 min make up look for work.

Step 1: Work on your eyebrow

What you will need:

• Primer

• Eyebrow pencil

• Mascara

• Concealer

• Foundation

• Powder

• Bronzer

• Blush

• Beauty Blender

• Concealer Brush

• Eyeshadow Brush

• Powder brush

• Foundation Brush

• Lipstick/lip gloss

The secret to perfect eyebrow is to keep them well groomed, either by getting your eyebrow waxed by a professional or by yourself, or doing a DIY eyebrows shaper with the use of an eyebrow razor. This is an essential step as it will take less time to define and shape a well-groomed eyebrow. To apply your eyebrow pencil, you need to follow the natural shape of you brow and apply light strokes of the eyebrow pencil the aim is to make the brows look as natural as possible.

Bonus Tip: As a beginner it is advisable to apply pencil brow that matches your natural eyebrow hair color ranging from light brown, dark brown, black.

Step 2: Apply your Foundation

To achieve a 10 min make up look, it is crucial to have the right foundation shade for your skin as it is easier to blend and takes less time. Dab your foundation on your face then blend it with a Foundation brush.

Step 3: Add your favorite concealer

With the use of a concealer brush, apply a concealer that’s one shade lighter than your skin tone first under your eyebrow by following the shape of your natural brow. This step will help your eyebrow stand out and look well defined. Then apply a small amount underneath your eye and blend with a beauty blender.

Step 4: Apply your Bronzer and Blush

Good news for this step only 1 brush will do the trick, that is the blush brush. Start by applying your bronzer, in a circular motion apply the bronzer on your hairline, jaw and chin, blend gently until there are no harsh lines. Make use of the same brush and apply your blush, again it is essential to get the right shade to compliment your skin.

Bonus tip: When it comes to knowing exactly where the blush goes on the face, I will suggest you smile and apply on your cheekbone.

Step 5: Eyeshadow

Eyeshadow can be complex for beginner, and because we are doing a 10 min look, it shouldn’t take too much of our time. Here depending on the days, I suggest you use a bronzer or blush. It will add some colour to your eyes and you will not be overwhelmed with choosing the right colour from an eyeshadow palette. Take an eyeshadow brush apply the bronzer all over your eyelid and voila.

Step 6: Apply your Powder

This step is optional and really just depends on your preferences, as well as skin type. With a powder brush, apply your powder all over the face. If you have an oily face it is recommended to apply the powder all over your face, combination skin only at the T Zone as that’s where the face gets oily. You can opt to skip this step if you have dry skin.

Step 7: Apply your Mascara

We are only one step away to a quick make-up look. Apply your favorite mascara a coat or 2 will be enough depending on your preference.

Step 8: Apply your Lipstick/lip gloss

This is the final step to our 10 min make up tutorial. Apply your lipstick whether it is a very soft and natural looking lipstick or a bright color.

There you have it 10 min make up look, and you are ready to kick start your day. Remember to take off your make up before going to sleep.

THE SECOND CHANCE CAREER

By Elize Fisher

Craving a more fulfilling and meaningful career is just one facet of the midlife transition. Upon reaching middle age, the realization dawns that our lives, too, will end when parents and older relatives die. At this point in life, the importance of achieving goals and doing what makes us happy becomes even more apparent.

Life cycles are relatively predictable for most people. During adolescence and into our thirties, almost everyone is overwhelmed with learning how to become who they think they want to be. Work and living that role continues into our forties. When one reaches forty, or midlife, achieving this goal, they discover it was not what they had intended. Reaching this midlife point, after accomplishing much and still lacking, many of us will take on the challenge of more risk and free ourselves from others’ expectations.

Photo by Luana Freitas from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-by-wooden-desk-working-on-laptop-15490325/

This mindset is well represented by women, with more embracing midlife as a catalyst for career advancement. More women who start their businesses gain respect and find purpose after they reach middle age.

Throughout my life, I’ve enjoyed writing, especially short stories, and poems. It wasn’t until my mid-forties (after a career break) that I realized my passion for it. As a mother and working mom, I never had the time to explore that creative side. I was an HR Professional for over fifteen years, I completed my honours degree in 2021 and became a certified life coach. However, I still felt stuck and unfulfilled. Later that year, I came across a WhatsApp message from Jatin Gupta, better known as Inspiringjatin, and signed up for the challenge to write a book in twenty-one (21) days. I wrote my book in 14 days. (It could have been less, but I lost my first draft). 5 Easy Ways to Overcome Limiting Beliefs; was published in August 2021 on Amazon. That first publication paved the way to a new career.

The idea for a magazine came to me after watching two moms struggling to carry crying babies and bags to their cars in the parking lot while on their way to work. It reminded me of my experience and how overwhelming it was, thinking that I was failing as a mother because I could not keep it all together all the time. As a single mom, I found it increasingly difficult to juggle my career and motherhood, especially since I had little to no support from friends and family. This led to burnout in 2018, to the point where I could not help myself. I wanted to create a platform that educates, inspires, and empowers women, especially working moms to tell their stories.

With my love of writing, the knowledge gained from the book challenge, and the goal to find my coaching clients, the idea of creating a magazine seemed more than possible. But first I had to overcome my fear of starting over again in a new field. I also experienced a loss of confidence due to being out of the workforce for a while. It took lots of work to adjust to my brand-new career, but the effort produced positive results because I followed my passion.

By November 2021, I designed a digital magazine and shared it with friends and family. To my surprise, it was well received, and in January 2022, I published the first Working Mama Magazine online, officially becoming its CEO in October 2022. To date, we have successfully published twelve editions, and I enjoyed every single one of them!

The magazine represents all my passions: writing, educating, and motivating people. My goal was to find a career that matched my values and energy and my advice to anyone wanting to succeed and find career fulfilment after 40 is to find the passion that drives you and do one thing each day in line of your dream and commit to yourself. You’ll discover the key to becoming your best self is living and working on your passion!

“The magazine represents all my passions: writing, educating, and motivating people.”

RECIPES

By Ra’eesa Kerbelker

Bean Burger (Makes 4 burgers)

Ingredients

2 cups leftover cooked/Tinned beans (black beans, butter beans or chickpeas)

2 tbl whole wheat flour (can be replaced with oats)

1 tbl tomato or sweet chilli sauce

1 cup cooked rice

Spices according to taste

Directions

Preheat oven at 180°C.

In a mixing bowl, mash the beans using a potato masher (you can use a fork or a food processor for this step.)

Add in the flour and rice and mash until it resembles a dough.

Form into 4 burger patties, roughly the same size. Place in a lightly greased oven dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Baked apple and crumble (Serves 2)

Ingredients

1 apple cored and halved

½ cups oats

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp honey/ maple syrup/ oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a small bowl add all ingredients to a bowl aside from the apple.

Place apples in a greased baking dish skin side down. Toss apples with oats and bake for 20 minutes until apples are soft.

Photo by RF._.studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-green-tank-top-holding-orange-bell-pepper-3622643/

A Guide to Managing the Challenges of Raising Multiple Children

By Staff writer

Raising multiple children can be an incredibly challenging, yet rewarding, experience. It can be difficult to find balance between the demands of your work or home life and the needs of your children, but you can create a home life that is both manageable and happy.

Here are a few tips to help you cope with the challenges that come with raising multiple children.

1. Set Up a Routine. Establishing a routine is an important part of raising multiple children. Setting up a daily routine helps children to know what to expect and what is expected of them. Without a routine, children can become confused, anxious, and overwhelmed.

2. Make Time for Each Child. Making time for each child is key to ensuring that all of your children are getting the attention they need. This can be difficult when you have multiple children, but it is important to carve out special time for each one, even if it is only for a few minutes each day.

3. Get Organized. Staying organized can be a major challenge when you have multiple children. Creating a schedule and a plan can help you remember important tasks and appointments and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

4. Connect with Other Parents. Connecting with other parents who are raising multiple children can be a great source of support and comfort. Sharing your experiences and challenges with other parents who understand can help you feel less isolated and provide valuable advice and resources.

5. Take Care of Yourself. Self-care is an important part of parenting multiple children. Taking care of your own physical and mental health is essential to your ability to care for your children. Make time for yourself to relax, exercise, and do activities that you enjoy.

5 family friendly destinations to explore this Easter

My family and I love to take vacations in South Africa. From the pristine beaches of Durban to the awe-inspiring vista of the Drakensberg mountains, there is something for everyone in this beautiful country.

By Staff writer

We’re always looking for new and exciting places to explore, so here are five of our favourite family vacation spots in South Africa:

1. The Garden Route: This stunning stretch of coastline between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth offers a wealth of activities for the whole family. Whether you want to go hiking, visit quaint towns, or explore the nearby wildlife reserves, the Garden Route has something for everyone.

2. Cape Town: With its stunning views from Table Mountain, world-class cuisine, and vibrant nightlife, Cape Town is the perfect city for a family vacation. Spend the day exploring the city or take a trip to nearby Robben Island.

3. Kruger National Park: Home to the Big Five, Kruger National Park is a wildlife paradise. Take a safari and spot lions, elephants, rhinos, and more in their natural habitat.

4. Durban: Durban’s beaches are a great spot for a family vacation. Whether you want to go swimming, sunbathing, or exploring the nearby markets, there’s something for everyone here.

5. Drakensberg: Pay a visit to the Dragon Rock Reptile Centre or explore the lush valleys and cascading waterfalls of this beautiful region.

No matter where you choose to go in South Africa, you’re sure to have an unforgettable family vacation!

Comfortable. Stylish. Convenient.

Maternitee offers a range of apparel that are aimed at making moms’ lives easier. Maternity and breastfeeding-friendly clothing that is modest and comfortable.

Get in touch with us:

SHED THE LOAD : 5 WAYS TO LESSEN THE LOAD ON THE GRID

By Nabila Mayet

It’s all anyone in South Africa can talk about - power on, power off, stage 7 or stage 6. Alarm bells start ringing when the nation heaves a sigh of relief at the prospect of moving from stage 8 to stage 6. So as we spend many nights in the dark left twiddling our thumbs - I began to wonder - is there anything I can do to help the situation? Can I play a part in alleviating the pressure on our power grid?

In a world with increased technological advancements, plug in devices and single-use appliances, mindfulness around our personal electricity consumption has never been more important as it will ultimately impact the severity of load shedding. Call me optimistic but just maybe if we all play our part we will eventually, and literally, see the light.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

The importance of minimizing our carbon footprint is not only better for the environment but also better for our purses. Fortunately, finding small ways to save money and reduce your energy consumption is easy. For example simply switching off lights and unplugging devices not in use can have a big impact on the amount of energy we use daily.

HERE ARE SOME EXTRA WAYS FOR YOU TO SAVE:

• Switch Light Bulbs

Changing over to LED or energy-efficient lightbulbs may initially cost you more but in the long run will save you. They consume less energy and have a longer lifespan as compared to conventional bulbs.

I am Kennethea Jackson Williams, better known as Kenny. I am a successful business owner, network coach, wife, and mother to two vibrant boys. I am also the founder of Business Breakfast Club, the best and fastest-growing networking club in Cape Town. Breakfast Club, aka BBC, is a community of entrepreneurs who thrive on the monthly meet-and-greet events we host. Our goal is to facilitate collaboration among entrepreneurs and provides upcoming and existing small

Outside of effective management and upgraded power facilities, changing our mindsets and daily habits can have a significant impact on the energy load.

Make it a family affair

Teaching your children ways to conserve energy at home instills lifelong responsible habits at a young age. A few simple changes can ensure a happier and healthier world for future generations. Start by teaching your kids basics such as switching off lights when leaving a room, unplugging electronic devices and opting for a shorter shower as opposed to a bath.

• Unplug your devices

You’d be surprised at the amount of energy you save by simply unplugging electronics when they’re not in use. Even plugs that are only plugged into the wall outlet are continuously pulling energy.

• Manage geyser consumption

A huge portion of electricity bills can be attributed to the heating up of water. We can decrease geyser consumption by investing in products on the market such as HotBot that will manage your consumption for you.

• Use appliances wisely

Using the dishwasher every day is tempting, however not always necessary. Appliances like your washing machine and dishwasher are designed to operate more efficiently on full loads. By running them only on full loads, you run them less often and significantly reduce energy consumption.

So get your family in the habit of recycling and not only will you make a difference in the world but will put less pressure on the grid. You may think that your actions are too small to make a difference but if we all get on board imagine the leaps we can take, together. As Helen Keller infamously said: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Did you know?

Recycling is a great way to conserve energy because when materials are reused less energy is consumed.

Discover 9 Secrets of Weight Loss

I am Salma Ansari, also known as Salma_Invictus. I worked as Wellness Coach for a decade.

About the Book

It’s a short read, sharing the ideas of effective weight loss and why it is critical to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle. What is the reason people back out from a healthy and active lifestyle? How plateau is a boon and not a curse. Few short and quick healthy food recipes combined in a small book with a few real-life client Stories.

What inspired you to write this book?

Inspiring Jatin

What can people learn by reading your book? People will understand that losing weight and being healthy is not a one-time job. It’s a lifelong process. You can’t treat the body poorly and expect a healthy outcome. Understanding one’s body is very important to overcome challenges. Being slim doesn’t mean that you are healthy.

How has writing this book changed your life? The negativity in my life for the last three years was at its peak, and I was at my lowest level of selfconfidence and self-esteem. As a result, my mental and physical health was shattered.

I always wanted to write a book, but I never did. Attending the masterclass on Inspiring Jatin created that spark, and now I feel alive again. I feel confident again. My sincere gratitude extends to everyone who supported and inspired me over the years.

What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring authors?

It is essential that the world is filled with goodness, and books are one way we can contribute.

This book is available on amazon or click the link below:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BRHH2T66?ref_=cm_ sw_r_apann_ts_WAF04G13VRD03MGEF32Y\

5 years of managing diabetes without medicines - My success story

I am Suvarna Reddy, an advocate, and retired professor. I have taught subjects like Logic, Sociology, International Law, Jurisprudence, the Constitution of India, etc. I have given talks on women and law, the rights of women, and gender sensitization to help rural women become aware of their rights and social status as equals in society.

I am presently an external member of the Women Empowerment Cell of the Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College and also a member of the internal complaints committee.

About the Book

With diabetes on the rise due to unhealthy food habits and lifestyles, I wish to share my experience of managing diabetes without medication. I have been following various diets, eating healthy, and exercising every day for 20 minutes. Through the glycemic index table I provided in the book, I hope others will follow suit and get rid of diabetes.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to share with the world what I had achieved, a medicine-free life. The statements of Veeramachineni and Jason Fungs greatly influenced me: “that diabetes is a disorder and not a disease.” I adhered to their diet regimens and supported their theories. I also wanted to share that diabetes is caused by living unhealthy and can be reversed by adopting healthier habits. My coach Jatin presented an opportunity and inspired me to write this book.

What can people learn by reading your book?

• To cultivate good eating habits and healthy lifestyles.

• Formulate their diet charts by emulating my diet chart.

• That diabetes is not a disease and may be cured by changing one’s lifestyle.

• A healthy diet and a rigorous exercise regimen will help people from becoming diabetic.

How has writing this book changed your life?

I am proud to be an accomplished author. I have also hit the No.1 bestseller on Amazon, which has added an extra feather to my success cap.

People are demanding a copy of my book. Elated with this success, I hope to write many more books soon. I am already onto my second one.

What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring authors?

• Leave behind your legacy for posterity.

• Give back to society what good it has given to you.

• Spoken words fly off, but written words are etched forever, so write your thoughts which would help many who need advice, knowledge, and experience!

This book is available on amazon or click the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ B0BPN3HXMV?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_ AD1X7P1J0WSVK3P3WCRV

The Mami & Me Baby Fair

The Mami & Me Baby Fair was an amazing event that took place at Hazendal Wine Estate on 28 & 29 January.

From baby clothing and maternity wear to baby educational toys and nursing pumps and accessories, there was something for everyone. It was a great day out for all!

Mami and Me was founded in 2017, with the sole purpose of giving extra marketing exposure to pregnancy and baby brands in Cape Town, South Africa.

Make sure to check out their next baby fair’s which will be taking place on the 6th & 7th of May 2023, Hazendal Wine Estate. For more information email them on info@ mamiandme.co.za

Not Perfect! Not guilty either.

By Ms Nayan Rath

Parenting is a journey, sometimes a bumpy ride and sometimes a pleasure trip with occasional traffic jams. Motherhood is a sweet and sour struggle, particularly for a working mother as the primary caregiver. Even with excellent family support, the guilt cup of a Working Mom is always full. The narrative with which we are conditioned from childhood is that ‘mothers are barely allowed any mistakes.’ This conditioning is so ingrained in us that anything mildly gets off track; the Mother gets branded a ‘bad mother’ primarily by herself!

Initially, as a Mom, I became a mad hunter to be an elusive perfectionist. When I started the second innings of my career, my organisation had a stay-in-touch program helping mothers feel connected. I get support in the office but fail to accomplish my expectation of being a perfect mom. While balancing my commitment to a high-level meeting at the office with leaving my sick baby at home, my patience had been through a challenging run every time. But the most significant challenge was my vision of being a ‘not-so-good mom’ I failed to reach the impossible balance where my baby is brilliantly engaged at home, and I juggled my career and well-kept house. The harmony was just an illusion. I was in a confused mom dilemma when I had a mandatory work tour for a couple of days, leaving my six-year-old with my in-laws. On the way to the airport, I cried my heart out looking at her picture in my cell. Later in the evening, when I video-called her, she was in a playful mood with her grandparents. I relaxed without guilt but felt disappointed to find that I was not missed.

When I was back, she hugged me passionately, saying! “Mama, You know Grandma prepared my lovely pasta. Another secret, I had a mouthful of French Fries in the evening.” She took our few day’s separations much better than I did! Children adapt very fast. She then looked forward to my days out every other month; it gave her some exclusive happy moments with her father and grandparents.

There have been times when I lost my cool during my busy schedule when she prodded me to play with her, and I hit a bulldozer of guilt to follow and beg an apology thereafter. Then I realised that it’s okay for children to see their parents deal with their struggles exploring, that adults are not infallible creatures —they mess things up, own up, clean, and move on. This gave me an instant rumination “my child needs a happy parent, not necessarily a ‘ perfect one.’ This could mean giving my girl an extra 20 minutes of ‘Finger Family songs ‘ so I can enjoy my hot coffee seamlessly.

With each passing day, I am convinced that my daughter needs me to be an imperfect parent. It’s okay for her to see me with my struggles. That would allow her to make mistakes, own them up, apologize and be human.

Imperfection is good. I would rather be an imperfect Mom.

Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tired-mother-kidding-while-sitting-with-children-4017413/

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

DISCOVER 9 SECRETS OF WEIGHT LOSS

- Salma Ansari

- Reviewed by Elize Fisher

This book shares nine effective weight loss hacks and why pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle is critical. The book also provides quick and easy recipes to get you started on that healthy lifestyle. You can also read up on real-life stories and learn that losing weight or adopting a healthy lifestyle is not a one-time job but a lifelong process!

5 YEARS OF MANAGING DIABETES WITHOUT MEDICINES- MY SUCCESS STORY - Suvarna Reddy -

Reviewed by Elize Fisher

#1 BESTSELLER ON AMAZON

The author shares her experience of managing diabetes without medication. She provides the glycemic index table hoping that others will follow and cure diabetes. This book also teaches you how to develop healthy eating habits and lifestyles by creating diet charts to combat diabetes.

Photo by Ricardo Esquivel:

If you feel you would be a great fit, send your information to: wm.enquires@gmail.com

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Contributing Writers

We are expanding and looking to add more females to our team of writers at Working Mama