Are You a Mother Tired of Everything? Tips to Come on Top!
Being a mother is a wonderful thing, but it can also be very hard. The first months after giving birth are exhausting and many moms feel overwhelmed by all the care that the baby requires.
Some of them even suffer from postpartum depression. Undoubtedly, it is a difficult disease to cope with, but it is temporary if it is treated properly and with the help of professionals.
Later, and as the children grow, being a mother continues to be tiring and exhausting. They return to work after the months of maternity leave and, even if the children go to kindergarten or school, there is always work to do at home, preparing meals, playing with them, fetching them here and there …
All this can lead to a situation of great stress for many women, even if their partner collaborates in the tasks just like them.
Being a mom can be considered one of the most tiring jobs in the world. And it is that the mother is aware of the children every day of the year, at all hours, without days off, without time for herself …
It’s never-ending work that can leave some women feeling devastatingly exhausted. Many recent mothers feel that they can’t take it anymore, that they are tired of everything, and that they have no illusion to continue.
Do you suffer from burnout syndrome?
If the situation described above is familiar to you, you may suffer from the so-called burnout syndrome. It is a situation of extreme exhaustion that occurs when the mother is subjected to a period of intense and prolonged stress, both physically and emotionally. Although it may not seem like it, it is a more common syndrome than we think.
This syndrome can also be suffered by the father, but in general, it is the mothers who are the most affected, since it is they, for the most part, who spend the most time with the baby and bear the burden of domestic responsibilities.
The Burnout syndrome arose as a form of work stress in professionals who experienced situations of great tension daily. Such is the case with neonatal intensive care physicians, probation police officers, etc. Subsequently, this syndrome has also spread to mothers, since it represents what many of them experience daily.
If you suffer from recurring headaches, insomnia, tiredness, gastrointestinal disorders, feel lonely, emotional distancing, anxiety, the urge to cry, a feeling of frustration or isolation, and relationship problems with your partner, family, or friends, you may suffer from the Burnout syndrome.
6 useful tips if you are exhausted
1. Let yourself be helped
It may seem like a no-brainer, but how many moms ask for help knowing they need it? Many don’t do it because they don’t mind bothering their grandparents, mother-in-law, etc. Others do not do it out of pride, however, knowing how to delegate and ask for help is the first step to take to end this situation of extreme stress. One must accept that she is not always able to do everything alone and that being helped is good for her health and the well-being of the whole family.
Enlisting the help of parents, in-laws, siblings, or friends, is not about them doing the mother’s job. It is, simply, that they help you with the children. They may be delighted to do it and you will feel more liberated and see how you can do things more calmly and without haste.
2. Don’t isolate yourself and prioritize
It is important that you can express your feelings and emotions of frustration, fatigue, or overwhelm with other women who are living the same as you. So leave the shame aside because this situation you are experiencing is more frequent than it seems to you and isolating yourself does not help you at all.
By sharing your situation you will see that other mothers are going through the same thing as you and you will realize that your concerns are also theirs. By talking to them, you will see that you are not alone and you will be able to rely on people who understand you.
In addition, it is important that you prioritize sharing your feelings with others and put other tasks aside. These tasks, even if they seem urgent to you, are not that important right now.
3. Try to have more free time
It may seem impossible to you, but you can stop doing things and you should. This way you will have more free time for yourself, something very important to feel good and regain energy! Therefore, stop cleaning, washing clothes, doing the kitchen … Nothing happens if one day you do not do everything you have proposed or if cleaning is postponed.
If your parents or in-laws bring you ready-made food one day, great, and if one day you order it to go, nothing happens. It is important that you keep this in mind and that you do not feel bad about not getting to everything or having free time for yourself. Why don’t you make an appointment for a massage? Or do you go one afternoon to the spa? Or are you just going for a walk in the woods by yourself? All this will make you feel like pearls!
4. Make time for yourself
If your children are older and can take care of themselves, take note of the following: Make time for yourself at home while they do things. That is to say, you don’t need to be attached to the children all the time, watching what they do, when they are already at an age when it is not dangerous to leave them alone.
If, for example, you need to lie down for a while, you can ask the children to play in their room or put a cartoon movie for them and you lie on the sofa next to them. Some moms, if the children get up very early on the weekend, ask them to stay for a while reading or playing in bed in order not to wake the whole family before the sun rises.
5. Eat a balanced diet
Following a balanced and healthy diet is essential to feel good because we are what we eat. It is possible that, if you are very tired, you do not even notice what you eat. You will likely eat whatever is in the fridge so you don’t have to cook and get some rest.
The problem is that this way you are not eating properly and your body is not getting the nutrients it needs to maintain energy levels. This causes you to feel even more exhausted. So try to eat a generous breakfast, eat well, and eat a light dinner. And if you’re hungry between meals, eat a snack.
6. Practice exercises to release tension
Feeling tired and exhausted may not feel like exercising at all. However, you need to come up and feel good on a physical and emotional level. Sport makes you release tension and is very good for the body. But, above all, for the mind when one feels so low emotionally.
You don’t have to compulsively practice sports. Dedicating yourself an hour a day is more than enough. Of course, choose something that you like to do because otherwise, it will be very difficult for you to continue with it. You can go to the gym for an hour, practice 20 minutes of running, go for a walk, take a bike ride, whatever, but regularly and without overdoing it. You will see how, after exercise, you will feel lighter and happier.