12 Self- Care Tips To Combat Mom Burnout

How to get out of the mom burnout rut and finally enjoy motherhood again.

Have you ever screamed so loudly at your kids that you lost your voice? Or, at the very least, strained it? I never envisioned myself as that kind of mother, but life has taught me otherwise.

I’m sure we’ve all been there in some capacity. We’re so mentally, emotionally, and physically drained from nonstop mothering that we’ve lost all control. I’d say parenting, but let’s face it, mommy-ing and daddy-ing aren’t the same thing, but I digress.

It’s easy to feel defeated by motherhood, but it doesn’t have to be. Self-care can help us on our path through parenthood if we have the appropriate perspective, serving God rather than ourselves.

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Why It Is So Important To Prioritize Self Care As Moms

We are expected to give so much of ourselves from the moment we become mothers. We are depleted of energy during pregnancy, making it difficult to perform regularly. We abstain from consuming alcoholic beverages, coffee, eating cold lunch meat, and riding roller coasters, among other things… We even stop wearing garments with pockets.

See also: 54 Important Self-Care Quotes For Moms To Motivate You Today

Apart from that, we give and give, and then our infants arrive, and we give some more. We nurse from our breasts, giving our kid a taste of our youth. With no end in sight, we sacrifice our sleep to feed, comfort, and care for our children. “Enjoy this season since infants don’t keep,” is frequently the sole piece of advise we get.

Soon, many women have given so much of themselves that they have forgotten who God made them to be. We’ve accepted self-loss by refusing to care for ourselves.

There is no honour in losing yourself to this point, my friend. So, what motivates us to do it?

Probably because we don’t want others to think less of us as mothers. We live in a time where women are expected to do it all and be everything. Any less is regarded as a failure. Rather of recognising that we need help, a break, or that we can’t do it, we try to push through to our own disadvantage.

This is why mothers must prioritise self-care. Self-care allows us to be true to who God created us to be while also serving our families to the best of our abilities.

What Is Mom Burnout

Mommy burnout occurs when we devote more and more of ourselves without taking care of our health.

When we’ve had enough, mother burnout is the source of our mental breakdowns.

Because the kids were “hard” to parent, it was the reason of our midnight food binges.

It’s the reason we feel compelled to gulp a bottle of wine or overspend on Amazon.

Mommy burnout is real, and you’ve probably experienced it or are on the verge of experiencing it. You don’t have to let it get the best of you any longer. The best way to take care of your children, Momma, is to make sure you’re in good health.

Signs you’re Experiencing Mom Burnout

You’re Yelling More

We’ve all been in that situation… You’re hustling everyone out the door because you’re running late for an appointment, and one of your angels unintentionally spills the milk that another of your angels left out on the counter.

It’s the perfect storm for a mommy meltdown!

Now, there have been instances when that scenario would have irritated me greatly, but everyone would have escaped with their lives intact.

Stress magnifies things, and it’s how we may convert molehills into ice-capped mountains!

And I’m a lot more sensitive when I’m stressed about something than I would be otherwise.

So, rather of allowing difficult circumstances to fester, I’ve learnt to deal with them as swiftly as possible to avoid them affecting the rest of my life. It reminds me of my home life!

You Have A Messy House

Allow me to express this… I’m not the type of mother to pass judgement or guilt on another mother because of the state of her home. I have three children, one of whom is a two-year-old boy. That’s all there is to it.

I just know from personal experience that when I’m exhausted, cleaning takes over. I constantly feel like I’m racing behind the chaos rather than in charge of it.

Relate?

If you’ve completely neglected your regular cleaning and tidying routine… You may be experiencing or on the verge of burnout.

My recommendation is to avoid running around trying to catch up on all the things.

It’s to take a day off from cleaning completely. I realise that sounds paradoxical, given that we’re talking about how you haven’t been cleaning.

But believe me when I say it isn’t! I know you’ve been mentally cleaning, whether or not you’ve been physically cleaning.

I’m feeling overwhelmed by all of the chaos.

Taking a day off to recuperate emotionally and physically can help you refresh so you can start small the next day.

You’re Cutting Yourself Off From Others

It’s easy to get pulled into a cycle of solitude and despair when we’re in Survival Mode and overwhelmed by life. No one else is going through what I’m going through, we convince ourselves.

We let the embarrassment of our condition to keep us isolated on an island with no one but our own critical voice to talk to. And when we’re weak and depressed, that’s the worst voice we can hear.

It’s critical to reach out to a buddy and be honest about where you’re at.

You Don’t Prioritize Health

You may recognise the importance of your health, but you aren’t getting enough exercise, water, sleep, or nutritious diet.

We’ve all heard it: stress can cause many things in our thoughts and bodies to go berserk. When we’re on the verge of burnout, it’s no wonder that we’ll feel sluggish and exhausted.

However, when we completely disregard the healthy habits we know we should be practising, we are just exacerbating the problem.

You’ll need the fuel to keep going strong if you live a healthy lifestyle.

Self-Care Ideas For Moms

Physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual self-care are the four basic categories of self-care. Each domain is critical to our total well-being. In order to be the best mother, wife, daughter, friend, or Christian, we must consider all four factors.

When we understand that we must take care of ourselves in order to serve God in the best way possible, we should feel no shame. As mothers, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise the next generation, but we must first have the capacity to do so.

Keep the right perspective, Momma, that only God can genuinely support us, and keep the end objective in mind.

Find A Hobby

Sleeping isn’t the only method to relax. Finding an activity that we enjoy and pursuing it can help us feel refreshed. Find a hobby and commit to doing it at least once or twice a month.

Volunteer for a cause, join or lead a book club or bible study, join a small group at church, begin writing or painting, join a sports club, and so on… Finding an activity that fills you up and refreshes your mind, body, and/or soul is the goal.

It may appear that having little children makes it impossible for moms to pursue interests, but this is not the case.

Utilize Childcare

You are not a horrible mother if you use childcare or a caretaker. It also does not imply that you are incapable of caring for your children. If you know a mother who appears to have it all together and does everything, chances are you don’t know the whole storey.

Use a babysitter, mother’s aid, kid exchange, or daycare without shame. Consider signing up for a YMCA family membership, which frequently includes a few hours of childcare.

Another option is to check for local churches that provide “mom’s morning out” or “mom’s day out.” Kids are resilient, and spending a few moments in the company of someone trustworthy is a wonderful experience for everyone.

Get Dressed

Okay, my attitude is very much affected by whether my jeans dig into my belly button or whether my bra is too tight. I’ve always felt that when you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you do good.

Wear things that make you feel good and make you look good!

Finding clothes that fit well and make you feel beautiful isn’t a precise science, but it’s a pleasant experience. It makes no difference if you’re dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie. The idea is to feel good about yourself, not to look good to others.

Prioritize Showering

I went into the shower a few hours after giving birth and felt instantly better. Showers have the ability to cleanse the body of all dirt, both real and imagined. Showers are also a great place to let out all of your bottled-up frustrations and sorrows.

Showering may mean skipping a nap or missing out on sleep, but you will sleep better and feel more refreshed. If your kids won’t let you shower, put them in a high chair and give them a snack while you go rinse.

Use Naps Wisely

When the kids are awake, I save naptime and the hours after bedtime for activities I can’t do or enjoy when they’re awake.

Cleaning, laundry, dishes, and other household chores are performed 90% of the time when the children are awake. If you’re nursing a kid who just naps in your arms, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be productive. Instead, read or listen to a book you enjoy during your breastfeeding sessions.

Prioritizing strategies to energise me before I expend all of my energy is a key to avoiding burnout.

Utilize Quiet Time

If your child doesn’t nap or doesn’t nap for long periods of time, I entirely understand. My kids were the same way, and it wasn’t until they were close to two that we started getting more consistent sleep.

I’ve made it a point to make sure the kids get some “quiet time” or nap time every day. I told my children they could read a few books or play quietly in the room instead of fighting a child who refused to sleep.

It takes discipline to have “quiet time,” but it will pay off in the long term.

Communicate Your Needs

Being aware of your emotions is an important part of emotional self-care. Understanding what you’re experiencing and why you’re feeling it can make it easier to communicate with others in your life.

No one has the ability to read people’s minds. Communicate what you need and how you need it in a direct yet kind manner.

If you feel unsupported by your spouse or seek strategies to encourage your husband, these topics can help you communicate effectively.

Use Affirmations

This is what I like to refer to as “preaching to oneself.” Affirmations are positive truth statements that you repeat in order to direct your attention to the truth rather than the lies that are now bombarding you.

See: Affirmations For When Motherhood Is Hard

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness provides a number of advantages, including stress reduction, improved performance, and improved responses to ourselves and others. Taking a deep breath to centre oneself and practising mindfulness can help deescalate a situation when we’re on the edge of losing our heads.

See also: How To Teach Mindfulness To Kids

Put Down Your Phone

A Digital Detox would not have existed less than 30 years ago. But what about now? Because social media has taken over so much of our lives, it could be a contributing factor in mommy fatigue. How frequently do we encounter someone who makes us feel bad about ourselves?

Either influencers project a “perfect mommy” image, or our friends have recovered far faster than we have… Although social media has its advantages, it should be the first thing to go when we are on the verge of burnout.

See: Parents: How To Break Up With Your Cell Phone

Practice Forgiveness

Although forgiveness may not appear to be a normal form of self-care, it is actually more beneficial to you than to the person who is being forgiven. Forgiveness frees us from the prisons we have built for ourselves.

Forgiveness is possible and worthwhile, whether it is for a parent, a spouse, or a brother. In a 5-step process, Focus on the Family provides a fantastic piece about gaining freedom through forgiveness.

Forget the Mom Guilt

We can also manage our own expectations by commiserating with friends. We’re setting ourselves up for this ambition that we should be able to do it all. To achieve a greater sense of balance, mothers must accept the challenge of relinquishing control and delegating responsibilities to spouses, other family members, or friends.

You don’t have to do everything to be a good mom. Really, you just have to be a good enough mom.

When Self-Care Isn’t Enough to Help the Burnt-Out Mom

It’s a bummer that there’s no magic cure for burnout – overcoming this tiredness and overwhelm in your motherhood will require some effort and thought.

When you go deep inside and modify your perceptions of yourself, though, those changes have a profound impact on every element of your life.

So set a lower standard for yourself, accept that you aren’t perfect, and start enjoying your best mom life!