Women sacrifice so much of themselves for the sake of their families. Moms work around the clock to ensure everything their family needs is provided. In the process of doing all of this, however, they sometimes become overloaded and emotionally overwhelmed. Unfortunately, most women are trained to push past their own needs for the good of their children. Though it’s noble to want to do and be everything for your children, neglecting your own needs in the process hurts everyone in the end. When you are so consumed with the lives of others that yours falls by the wayside, it can lead to what is known as mommy burnout.
What is Mommy Burnout?
Mommy burnout is best described as a feeling of extreme physical and emotional exhaustion commonly brought on by the pressures and stresses of being a mother. Women who suffer from burnout often complain of feeling overloaded, emotionally overwhelmed, and physically incapable of meeting daily demands.
What Are the Signs of Mommy Burnout?
How do you know if you’re dealing with mommy burnout? Here are some signs below:
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Quick to anger or short-tempered
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Unexplainable mood swings
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Emotional outbursts
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Resentment of others
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A decline in appearance and personal hygiene
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Dependent upon substances to calm your nerves like cigarettes, prescription drugs, or alcohol.
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Careless mistakes and short-term memory loss
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Isolation from things you once enjoyed
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Periods of deep sadness or depression
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Poor work performance
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Body aches and pains
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Difficulty eating
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Poor sleeping patterns
Where do you line up on the list? If you have experienced more than one of these symptoms at the same time, there’s a real possibility you’re dealing with mommy burnout.
Treating Your Burnout
If you do happen to be dealing with mommy burnout, you should know that you’re not alone. Many women suffer in silence about the undue amount of pressure and stresses that come with parenting. What you need to do now is to begin picking up the pieces and improving your health. Below are some appropriate solutions to recovering from mommy burnout:
Stop Self-Medicating
If you are coping with burnout by depending on substances like cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol, you need to stop. Consuming these substances may provide short-term relief or euphoria, but when it wears off, your overwhelming emotions only heighten. There’s also the fact that using these substances to cope can cause health problems including addiction.
Though quitting can be hard, it’s not impossible. You can try going cold turkey, however, if you’ve been abusing alcohol or illicit drugs there may be severe side effects. If you have a habit of taking a few pulls of a cigarette you can try weaning yourself off with e-cigarettes. Brands like Zamplebox have liquids with little to no nicotine in it making it easier for you to quit for good. If you can’t stop on your own, immediately get help from your doctor, a therapist, or a rehab facility.
Start Self-Care Routines
You cannot be there for your children and family if you’re not at your best. Self-care will be extremely important in helping to boost your mood, improve your health, and get past burnout. Start waking up each morning and tend to your own needs. Take a shower, complete your skincare routine, prepare a quick and healthy breakfast, do your hair, and get dressed. After completing all of this for yourself, you’re in better spirits to wake the kids and get them started on their day. Repeat the same routine at night as well.
Simplify Your Life
Yes, being a mom is a lot of work. The good news is, you have a ton of resources at your fingertips that you can use to simplify your life. Get your house clean and organized, develop morning, after school, and nighttime routines for yourself and the children, utilize calendars and apps to keep track of appointments and events, learn how to prep meals in advance so cooking during the week is easier, and ask for support from your friends and family to help with raising the children.
Do Something You Enjoy
Now that you’ve simplified your life and have started taking care of yourself it’s time to get back in tune with the woman you were before your children came into the picture. What things made you the happiest? What things interest you the most? Figure out what they are and start participating in activities that bring you closer to those passions. If you loved painting, join an art class. If you were a dancer, go back and learn a new style. Just make a pact to do something regularly that brings you joy.
Mommy burnout is very real and is happening to more women than you think. Between the pressures of society and the pressures you’ve put on yourself to be the perfect woman and mother, it often becomes too much to bear. As a result, you start to break down from the inside out. Don’t let burnout take over your life. Start using the steps above to begin picking up the pieces and finding peace, happiness, and balance once again.