As a working mom, trying to balance family and a full-time career can be overwhelming. From running errands, making dinner, helping with homework to meetings and deadlines at the office, if care is not taken, it could lead to stress overload and ultimately burnout. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in productivity both at home and at the office.
To prevent this from happening, we’ve collated a few ways to help you avoid mom burnout and how to deal with it if you’re stressed out:
- Self-Care
Although this seems obvious, self-care is something that a lot of working moms don’t practice. However, it is important because it helps improve your emotional health, making you more equipped to handle the tasks at hand. It also makes you a better caregiver and reduces your stress levels. Practising self-care will help you maintain a healthy relationship with yourself so you can be helpful, in turn, to others.
Various ways to make self-care a habit include:
- Take time out regularly to do something that makes you happy. It could be as little as reading a book, watching a movie or listening to music.
- Get adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation will always lead to burnout. To avoid that as a working mum, make sure to get at least 7hrs of sleep daily, so you can be better prepared for the next day’s activities.
- Reset Your Mind. Studies have shown that people with positive mindsets are less stressed than others. Being positive and adopting a grateful attitude will also help you discover opportunities in the least expected places.
- Diet
Sometimes, the reason you’re always stressed out could be a function of what you eat. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasized when trying to maintain balance as a working mom, as it will help you stay energized throughout the day and reduce the risk of falling ill. To practice this, incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, cut down your junk food intake and be sure to eat at the right time of day.
- Delegate
One major key to staying on top of things both at home and in the office is to delegate. When the workload becomes overwhelming, it’s okay to delegate the little tasks to those around you. Outsourcing minor responsibilities to others will give you more time to focus on what actually matters and reduce the risk of burnout.
- Take time off
Working moms also need time off. Taking the occasional day off, away from work and family responsibilities can considerably reduce your stress levels, improve your health and happiness, and put you in a better state of mind to take care of the home.
Adopting these tips and making your wellbeing a priority will help improve your quality of life and put you in a better position to care for others. How do you deal with stress as a working mum?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.