Mum burnout is real. And it can be really, really tough to come back from so taking care of our mental health should be a priority.
Mum burnout usually comes on quickly because of we are taking care of other people before ourselves. The stress, worries and mum-guilt we experience. The to-do lists filled with cleaning, errands, bills to pay, appointments to make, activities to organise and presents to buy. Let alone the fact that most of us are also juggling a career too!
To avoid mum burnout, we need to remember that we were our own person before we had children and we are just as important as our children.
If you feel like you’re on your way to mum burnout, here are a few tips to get things back under control.
Ask for help
The first thing to do is ask for help. This can be done in any way. It could involve asking your partner to clean the bathroom (or hiring a cleaner to clean the bathroom!). It could involve asking your in-laws to have the kids one night this weekend. It could involve booking a session with a counsellor to get personalised 1:1 support. It could be putting your kids in for the extra day at daycare because you aren’t coping.
There is nothing wrong with asking for help, in fact, I celebrate it! Ask for all of the help you need without guilt because you’re only human. You can’t do it all.
Prioritise
With our never-ending lists and household responsibilities, we need to prioritise what is actually needing to be done right now. What are the top 5 things you must do today? Can something on your to-do list be done next week (or by someone else)? What actually doesn’t really matter and can be removed?
We have many lists and many tasks to do, but when we’re looking at the overall picture, we can easily feel stressed, overwhelmed and frazzled. By prioritising your lists and tasks, you’ll be staying on top of things!
Take care of yourself
This one seems so simple, but yet so many of us don’t do it. We think it doesn’t matter or that something else is more important but in reality, nothing is more important than you. Nothing at all.
Take care of your body by eating well and often, drinking plenty of water, getting outside regularly for fresh air and sunshine, going to doctors and dentist appointments, regularly exercising and listening to what your body really needs from you each day.
Take care of your mind by seeing a counsellor, practising mindfulness, reading, learning a new skill, journaling, turning your phone off and being creative.
Take care of your soul by cuddling with loved ones, repeating affirmations, doing a random act of kindness, practising gratitude and being present.
For you to be the best possible mother, partner, business owner, friend, daughter, family member (and so on), you need to take care of yourself.
Do something just for you every single day
Big or small, I want you to commit doing one thing just for you every single day. Pick something that you enjoy, that lights you up, inspires you, makes you laugh or smile. It can be anything at all, it just needs to be for you and only you.
The sooner we can stop experiencing mum burnout, the sooner we can truly enjoy our beautiful children.
