Being a mother is a full-time job. If you are already a housewife or a career woman, then taking on the various responsibilities of motherhood is a lot more to manage. At some point, you may have started feeling like you are trying too hard to be everything to everyone around you.
Add on to these the burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not just suddenly inserted the stress of a virus and how to keep it away in your daily routine. It has also brought about worries for the safety of your family, especially your sick and elderly family members.
There is so much that the pandemic has changed about life. Through the busyness of it all, have you once taken the time to take care of yourself? Have you paid attention to your health and wellbeing?
Understanding the Signs
You may be burnt out and unaware of it. Catching the signs early on can help you prevent further issues and recover more quickly. We have put together a list of symptoms that can help you assess your situation.
- Fatigue – You may feel mentally and physically exhausted from all your responsibilities. Fatigue could also cause you to have irregular sleep patterns, headaches, and muscle pains.
- Negative Attitude – When burnt out, you may adopt a negative mindset towards your daily tasks. You can also get easily irritated with people around you, such as your spouse, your kids, and even your coworkers.
- Isolation – The feelings of stress may make you want to withdraw from your relationships. You may find yourself being hesitant to socialize when burnt out.
- Loss of Focus – Your ability to perform tasks can be hampered, too. You may find it hard to concentrate, which can affect your productivity.
- Anxiety – When you are so overwhelmed by everything that is going on, it could cause you to get anxious about bad things that could happen.
It is best to reach out to people you trust if these symptoms have been recurring. You can even schedule a session with a therapist to help you sort out your emotions and learn good coping strategies.
One tip for this, though: if you will make a habit of visiting a therapist, check if they have mental health billing solutions so that you can automate payments. This gives you one less thing to think about as you juggle your responsibilities.
Letting Go of the Guilt
Realizing you are burnt out often comes with feelings of guilt. It is time to move past this and prioritize your health.
Take time for yourself
Do not have your whole day revolve solely around the things you have to do. No matter how busy, take a chunk of time to attend to your needs. Even with tasks like taking a shower or getting dressed, don’t rush and mindfully prepare for the day.
Allow yourself time for your hobbies, too. Don’t neglect enjoyment in your daily routine!
Seek help where you need it
When you are so busy that you can’t even have time to take care of yourself, then it is a sign that you need helping hands to assist you. Reach out to your spouse, family, friends, or even outsource help to lighten the load you are carrying.
You can also delegate tasks to people in your household. Let go of simpler chores and even teach your kids how to do some of them. You are not a bad parent for teaching your kids to do things around the house!
Re-calibrating Your Mindset
Along with prioritizing your wellbeing comes the need to reset your goals so that you can approach your responsibilities with a good mentality in the future.
Set proper expectations
Sometimes, burnout is tied to your expectations of yourself as a parent. You think you have to perform all these tasks to be a “good mother,” so when you do not live up to these expectations, you feel you have failed.
Let go of these pressures to fit into a certain mold and have your family life look a certain way. Pause and reflect on what truly matters to you as a mother, and take it one step at a time. You ultimately define the success that you want to achieve for your family.
Acknowledge your efforts
Lastly, do not discredit yourself. Burnout does not make you an inadequate person. You are a human being who gets tired, too.
Celebrate the joys of doing things for your family and know that these are appreciated, and they matter. Being a mom may get tough at times, but remind yourself that you are tougher.
