Pictured are author Miriam Stein and podcast host Oliver Schmidt

#55: Menopause at Work: Let's Talk About It Now!

Sleep problems, exhaustion, mood swings, or brain fog: Menopause can affect daily life and work. Nevertheless, many women going through menopause initially lack the knowledge to make sense of these changes—and often lack the space to talk openly about them.

In the new episode of “Heiter bis stürmisch,” Oliver Schmidt speaks with author and activist Miriam Stein. With her book *Die gereizte Frau*, she has sparked a social debate about menopause, women’s health, and women’s knowledge. 

Miriam Stein is not a doctor—she approaches the topic from a social, political, and structural perspective: Why is women’s health still given too little attention in research and the workplace? And what needs to change so that those affected are no longer left to fend for themselves at work?
You can also read more about symptoms and how women can navigate menopause successfully in our article “Menopause: Coping with Symptoms—Tips for Everyday Life.”

 

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How can managers support female employees going through menopause?

From a structural perspective, Miriam Stein recommends three things above all: listening without making assumptions; breaking the taboo surrounding the topic, for example through open communication within the team; and creating concrete support measures—such as flexible work schedules, quiet spaces, or informational resources as part of the company’s health management program.

Through the pme Familienservice , we help employees and companies assess stressors and promote healthy work practices—for example, through psychosocial counseling and workplace health management programs.

If menopausal symptoms are affecting your daily life or work, counseling sessions can help you identify your needs, plan your next steps, and prepare for conversations in the workplace. Medical symptoms should be discussed individually with a healthcare professional.

Cheerful to stormy - the everyday podcast with Olli Schmidt

Welcome to "Heiter bis stürmisch" - the everyday podcast. Cheerful or saddened to death: life has its ups and downs. That's what we're all about: everyday crises such as arguments with your partner, parenting issues, work overload, insecurities and anxiety. We talk to experts and give you practical tips to help you deal better with crises and challenges.

You can listen to our podcast on all major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, etc.)! Questions, suggestions, feedback, or requests? Feel free to email us at:
podcast@familienservice.de

Miriam Stein: The Irritable Woman
Miriam Stein: The Outrageous Woman
Dr. Sheila de Liz: Woman on Fire
Dr. Katrin Schaudig: Hot Stuff – Menopause Tips on the Go
Dr. Judith Bildau: Body in Balance 

 

zero Write down positive thoughts: Never brood again

Woman writes in diary
Body & Soul

Write down positive thoughts: Never brood again

When winter just won't end, it can really put a damper on your mood. In such phases, we often forget the positive moments that keep us going.

We would rather brood over negative things that have failed, upset or hurt us. However, positive thoughts are not only better for our well-being, they also help us sleep much better. Our health expert Petra Dinkelacker has a really good tip on how to change your mindset in the long term by writing down your positive experiences.

Store good experiences and ensure a lasting sense of well-being

Writing things down can help us to better remember positive experiences. By writing things down, we can determine over time which approach helps us to develop things in a positive direction and which strategies we should develop in the future.

This is how it works:

  • Get yourself a nice book and a nice pen that you use for the sole purpose of jotting down your thoughts.
  • Take five minutes before going to bed. That's often all it takes.
  • Now write down your successes and positive experiences of the day and ask yourself the following questions:
    ​​​​​​​
    • What worked well for me today?
    • How did I manage it or what did I do to ensure that it went well?

Think about three things and answer these two questions for each of them.

Plan to practise this method for at least three weeks and write down your experiences. If it doesn't work on one day, don't put yourself under pressure. Revisit your thoughts later or skip a day. But keep going and leaf back through your book from time to time to see what insights you can derive from it.

I wish you many positive thoughts!

Health impulses with our 5-minute exercises

Our 5-minute exercises give you ideas for more relaxation, balance, activity and feel-good moments in your everyday work and private life. They are not a substitute for professional help from counselors and psychologists.

Please seek professional advice, for example from life coaching (Link opens in a new window) ( Link opens in a new window) , if you are permanently depressed, suffer from persistent excessive stress and have deeper mental problems.