Adult Medicine, Family Medicine

Put Out Mommy Burnout!

28
May

Moms may seem like they have it all together, but they may need more help than you know!

By Ashley Guidry

Mother’s Day has come and gone, but we never stop caring for our mothers. For this Mental Health Awareness month, let’s break down what current moms can do to prevent burnout.

Mommy burnout is a chronic problem characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion. The risk of burnout is higher due to our drastic change in lifestyle via the pandemic. Now it’s more talked about than ever before since 93% of mothers admitted to experiencing burnout due to feeling unseen and underappreciated. Burnout can manifest into constantly feeling tired, feeling ‘not good enough’, wanting to ‘escape’, and emotionally distancing from your children.

Increased feelings of burnout have developed more frequently in moms with full-time jobs or without a co-parent. About 1.4 million working moms left their jobs due to stress during the pandemic.

When mom is struggling, everyone is struggling whether we like it or not. Fortunately, burnout is preventable, but it requires consistency and time. When you set aside time to relieve yourself of burnout, not only will you benefit from the effects, but this will ripple out to your family as well. Here are a few suggestions on how you can stomp out burnout:

  • Make goals focused on you. Recognize what brings you peace even if it’s reading or going for walks.
  • Make yourself a schedule and try to stick to it. Plan breaks away from parenting. Periods away from stressors are great and nothing grand is necessary.
  • Detach from social media. Try setting aside your phone for a day or limiting how many hours you spend on the Internet.
  • Nourish your body. Make sure you’re eating properly and getting the rest you need.
  • Know that you’re not alone. Hard days will come, but it makes the days a little easier when you’re honest and ask for help. It’s always better to ask now than later.

Just as every family is different, every mom is different, so just be you! Don’t let mommy burnout take you down!