What is mommy burnout and how to deal with it?
This post will help mommies to better understand what is mommy burnout, what’s going through them, the symptoms of mom burnout, and how to deal with it.
Mommy burnout is the feeling that makes a mom feel exhausted from the chronic stress of parenting or running the house on a daily basis.
Just like the burnout that employees went through with the high demands of work that they experience at their jobs. Moms also experience this scenario in their lives due to the daily activities that they also have to perform. Such as looking after their children, assisting the children in school activities, serving the whole family from morning to evening, doing household chores, organizing and managing the house, and so on. And what is left for them?
Sometimes they even don’t have the time to do their endeavors in life. Sometimes people even think that they are just acting out. Misjudging them from what they feel and what they do at home. There are also times that they can no longer do some self-care activities due to the overwhelming tasks that they need to make.
Both working and stay-at-home moms are experiencing mom burnout symptoms from time to time. And this isn’t something that moms and family members have to ignore because it adds up and might lead to other problems if left unmanaged. Moms experiencing burnout often show disengagement, feeling inefficient or useless in raising their children, feeling ineffective, losing the confidence to socialize, they feel intimidated to perform their personal and professional duties and may act outside of their true personalities. Like being angry at small things and losing patience easily compared to normal days. And they sometimes think of spacing themselves among their children.
Mommies are great human beings and needs also your attention, love, and care.
General symptoms of mommy burnout that you should watch out for:
If there are numerous symptoms you already identified to yourself as a mom or to other moms you know, you should ask for help earlier to implement the needed intervention.
- Being exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically.
- Being irritated, they easily loss temper.
- They feel disconnected from the present situation.
- They show guilt about their parenting style. They feel like they are inadequate.
- They feel anxious, and preoccupied with approaching events.
- Their attitude isn’t matching with the present situation.
- They feel incapacitated in raising their children.
- They indulge in fantasies like detaching themselves from reality.
- Having an intense feeling of being not good enough.
- Thoughts that their children deserve someone better.
- Disconnection from spouse or inability to maintain a good relationship.
- Unable to ask for help or support.
What to do with Mom Burnout:
- Understanding your risk factors are important to help you to be aware of everything.
- Avoid comparing yourself. Remember that other moms have their ups and downs as well. And it’s up to you how you will face each challenge.
- Do journaling to better track your mood, and see whether you already need some time to replenish your mental health.
- Offer yourself time alone. You need to spend some time alone each day to give yourself the love it deserves. The person who will love you without a doubt (you). Do a simple self-care activity that will boost your self-esteem.
- Choose to be a mindful parent. It’s ok to make some mistakes, accept it as this will help you grow as a parent. No one is perfect and everyone passes through all the tough times of parenting.
- Talk to someone who can relate to you. Talking to a mom that knows what you are going through can be a good help in understanding what you feel, this can give you comfort and relief from stress.
- Do some physical activities. Moving around just like brisk walking can help to relieve your stress level and uplift your mood.
- Have enough rest and sleep to recharge you.
- Do things one at a time. Plan your day always, prioritize what should come first, and divide tasks from simpler to complex.
- Engage in a group that can help you unleash your capabilities. Connecting with like-minded people can help you grow as a person.
- Accept your imperfections as a parent. It’s ok if you can’t do it all. Be kind to yourself.
- Grow spiritually and always make sure that your values are set as a good example and are aligned with what you want your children to follow.
Mom burnout is something that needs our intervention. If you believe that you have a lot of symptoms already, then you should take the necessary action to pass through it. You can do a lot of things to go on in life. Live simply, don’t stress out everything, and live one day at a time. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help if you feel like you need it the most.
A virtual hug to all of you amazing moms!