| Regan MacPherson is a single mom of a | | | | If we are lucky, we have a few hours a week |
| wonderful daughter, a pug and a cat, and is a | | | | to exercise, read a good book or visit with |
| full-time corporate attorney for a storage | | | | beloved girlfriends. There is usually a |
| technology company in Silicon Valley. The | | | | sacrifice at work or at home that must be |
| other morning I was dressing for work, | | | | made to eke out those hours from our |
| feeding the dog, doing laundry and making my | | | | schedule. If we are not careful, the physical |
| daughter's lunch. I leaned down to put on a | | | | and mental burdens that we carry every day, |
| pair of heels and felt a sharp ache in my | | | | even though they bring us joy and |
| back. The advice of my granny, who, while I | | | | satisfaction, pile up, and we find ourselves |
| was growing up, would frequently come up | | | | shrinking, slouching, hurting, ducking our |
| behind me, smack me between the shoulder | | | | heads and not making eye contact with other |
| blades and issue the stern command "stand up | | | | humans. Working moms, I am virtually smacking |
| straight!" reverberated loudly in my head. I | | | | you between the shoulder blades! Stand Up |
| straightened up, put my shoulders back and | | | | Straight! Good posture is an important step |
| took a deep breath. I opted that day for a | | | | in balancing the burdens of life! Good |
| pair of flats. By paying attention to my | | | | posture makes us look and feel healthy, |
| posture that day, by the next, I was back in | | | | empowered and in control. Standing tall makes |
| the proverbial saddle. As working moms, we | | | | us feel tall, and if we feel tall, we are |
| carry many loads, both literally and | | | | tall! Straightening up and throwing back our |
| figuratively. We lug around our babies, our | | | | shoulders brings about an almost |
| toddlers, and sometimes even our school-aged | | | | instantaneous attitude adjustment and makes |
| kids. We carry groceries and load after load | | | | others perceive us as larger than life. Good |
| of laundry; we mop floors and scrub toilets; | | | | posture reduces strain on our muscles and |
| and cook gourmet meals. We take care of our | | | | spine, helps maximize energy and vitality, |
| kids when they are sick or heartsick, bored | | | | and helps prevent health issues as we age. |
| or delighted. We care for the family pets and | | | | And last, but certainly not least, another |
| often for a spouse or elderly parent. We keep | | | | true benefit to good posture is that it makes |
| family relations intact with our own siblings | | | | our clothes look better and makes it more |
| and parents, and sometimes our in-laws. As | | | | comfortable to wear killer shoes! I find that |
| employees, we carry a different load. We lug | | | | if I take a moment, straighten up, throw my |
| our laptops and other work-related items back | | | | shoulders back and take a deep breath, the |
| and forth between meetings. We manage | | | | burdens feel lighter, my body feels and looks |
| relationships with our bosses, employees and | | | | better, and my attitude is transformed. |
| co-workers. We carry the emotional weight of | | | | Thanks Granny. As excerpted from "42 Rules |
| financially supporting a family. At the end | | | | for Working Moms" Super Star Press, 2008. |
| of the day, after helping the kids with | | | | |
| homework, dinner, teeth brushing, stories, | | | | Laura Lowell is the executive editor and |
| kisses, excuses and finally sleep, we log in | | | | author of "42 Rules for Working Moms." She |
| again, to check email and catch up on work As | | | | has gathered practical advice and information |
| working moms, we take on multiple programs | | | | from working moms all over the world to share |
| and problems, from volunteering at school and | | | | with others. She lives and works in Silicon |
| driving on field trips to running meetings | | | | Valley with her husband and two girls. |
| and managing multi-million dollar projects. | | | | |