Mommy Burnout – Signs and How To Cope
Mothers everywhere complain of burnout. Mommy burnout can be very counterproductive to parenting. You can learn the signs and causes of burnout and head it off before it hits if you follow these easy tips.
Table of Contents
What is Mommy Burnout?
Mommy burnout is a kind of chronic stress that has a deep and profound impact on your health.
Trying to be perfect mom causes this chronic stress and you feel like you just can’t cope.
Everything feels like a chore and a challenge feels like your jumping a thousand hurdles at a time.
Mommy Burnout Signs
Mommy burnout can look different for everyone, but common signs are:
- Irritability, you blow up at the smallest issue.
- Lack of energy and sleep disturbances.
- Procrastinating every task.
- Food cravings.
- Weight gain resulting from those food cravings and/or high cortisol levels.
- Tension headaches.
- Catching colds and flu more easily than before. Stress effects your immune system.
- Feeling disconnected in relationship with family and friends.
- Low libido.
Limit Social Media
Social media is a toxic place to be when you’re feeling low and suffering from mommy burnout.
Take a break and invest that time to do something for you. Practice self-care, journal or do some Yoga.
Use Household Rules and Limits
It doesn’t work to tell your children not to behave in certain ways when you turn around and do it yourself. It’s not fair to the children, or to you.
Set clear, easy to follow boundaries for behavior and ensure that everyone follows the rules.
IF you wait until your limits have been pushed, you’ll be more frazzled and more stressed and the children will know exactly how far they can push you before you lose it.
Find Comfort In Other Moms
If you can’t get together in person, at least find an online forum where you can share what you’re going through and meet with some other moms that completely understand. You’ll make some new friends, find a good support network and you’ll have a great outlet. It’s hard enough to be a mom but you certainly don’t have to do it all on your own.
Don’t Feel Guilty
It’s especially easy for moms to feel guilty no matter who they are. It may be the toughest job in the world and you don’t get a lot of credit where credit is due.
Focus on your accomplishments and leave the “what ifs” behind. Don’t look at what could have or should have been, just focus on the little things that really matter.
The other stuff is all frosting on the top of the cake, some of it tastes better than other kinds. Remember too that children learn how to manipulate if they see how guilty you may feel.
Keep the upper hand and don’t let them see it.
Set Your Priorities
Remember, you can’t do it all. A family should work together to accomplish what needs to be done. If your family is fed and your household is running smoothly, be glad and pat yourself on the back.
You’re doing it right.
Remember, if the dishes still need washed tomorrow, it’s no big deal. Eventually they’ll be washed.
So what if the carpet needs vacuumed, it will get done later. Focus on the children and your quality of life.
Be Grateful For What You Have
Perhaps you don’t have a perfect house. Perhaps your job or your lawn is less than perfect.
Focus on what you do have to be grateful for. Gratefulness is a relaxing state to be in and will help you to keep things in perspective.
Count your blessings each day. No matter how much you want something else, your blessings will show you what you do have to be thankful for.
Practice Self Care
As a mom, it’s easy to spend so much time caring for others that you can’t care for yourself. Take some time out for you each and every day.
It may only be a few minutes but make sure you eat a good meal, get plenty of sleep and take a walk or a fitness break daily.
This will give you the energy you need to deal with anything life has to throw your way.
Keep these tips handy and review them when you feel down. Remember, you can be a great mom and fend off mommy burnout syndrome by taking things as they come and one day at a time.
Motherhood can be very overwhelming and if you learn to stay a step ahead of burnout, you’ll do just fine.
