How to Overcome Mommy Burnout

This is a sponsored post by Ivory.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

24 Ways to Overcome Mommy Burnout - How to avoid mommy burnout when you're at home with the kids all day.  Keep up when you feel burnt out! Avoid stress, make life easier, and actually enjoy time with family with these tips to overcome mommy burnout.

How to Overcome Mommy Burnout

I always thought being a stay-at-home-mom looked really fun and relaxing (PJs all day!), but it's hard! So much harder than I ever could have imagined.

Stay at home moms have so many responsibilities, and it can take a toll on your mind and body.  It is just an extremely busy and taxing time in our lives, while our children are young and need us so much.  Plus, we have housework, errands and work among other things… It can be exhausting, physically and mentally, leading to mommy burnout.  We all seem to get to this place at some point. We become the burnt out mom, where we have to wonder how to even keep up anymore.

Do you ever feel like you may have stay at home mom burnout? Do you ever have feelings of exhaustion, unhappiness, or have lost the motivation to do your best every day as a stay at home mom? I’ve been there, along with so many other moms. It’s easy to fall in a slump while being at home with the kids, all day, every day. With a few simple mindset changes, you can feel like a happy and productive stay-at-home mom!

I'm excited to partner with Ivory today to bring you some tips to overcome mommy burnout. Ivory has been making pure clean soaps for 138 years, and has been trusted by families for generations.  Because they care for your family as much you do, Ivory products are free of dyes, heavy perfumes, and parabens.

Avoid stress, make life easier, and actually enjoy time with family with these tips to overcome mommy burnout.

 

24 Ways to Avoid Being a Burnt Out Mom

1.  Take a deep breath.  Motherhood is hard. You will be tired. At times a lot more than others.  Start by taking a deep breath and acknowledging this is just a phase, and you can and will get through it.

2.  Limit perfectionist thinking. There is no reason to think, “I have to do it all perfectly, If it isn’t done my way, then it’s wrong, I’m the only one who can do things right.” When in fact, you don't.  It doesn't need to be perfect.  Are your kids happy? Are they healthy, cared for, and loved? If so, then you're doing great! No need to be so hard on yourself!

3.  Read a book. Reading is a great way to get away without actually going anywhere. You can get out of your own chaotic world and be transported into a new adventure. I make it a point to read a little daily during lunch time.  The kids know that they can join me in the room, only if they're reading silently, too.

4.  Exercise. Getting a workout is good for our bodies and our mind.  Plus, the endorphins released during your workout will leave you feeling happier and more at peace for the rest of the day.

5.  Get daily adult contact.  Sometimes part of the mom burnout is just feeling so alone in our struggle.  Try to make it a point to have some form of daily contact with an adult. You know, someone who doesn't expect you to wipe their boogies or ask you for a snack every 30 seconds.  Call a friend on the phone, or even join a local mom group (check out MOPS, M/PDO, or programs at your local library).

6.  Don't compare yourself to others. Everyone is different! Everyone is great at different things! It's what you tell your kids, so why don't you listen to your own advice. It doesn't matter if you know someone with a prettier house, or a more organized... everything, or someone who always looks put totally together.  You've got your own stuff you're rockin', so focus on those victories!

7. Write out your to-do list. If you feel like your drowning in all of the stuff you have to remember to do, do yourself a favor and write it down.  Put it on your calendar, write it on a sticky note, or set a reminder on your phone.  You will be amazed at the amount of stress you can let go of when you're sure you're not going to forget something because you have a physical reminder.

8.  Set boundaries. Set boundaries for yourself, set boundaries for others, and set boundaries for your kids.  We all have the same number of hours in a day, and we just can't do it all. So if the thought of another playdate this week sounds totally overwhelming, just say no. No big deal. There's always next week.  Saying no to things you don't enjoy or don't have time for will keep you in a happier, healthier, more sane mindset, which will also give you more patience around your house and with your kids.

9.  Take time for yourself. Taking just a short little 10-20 minute timeout for yourself can do wonders.  My kids know if I'm having a rough day, I'm going to take a quick 20 minute shower. I love clearing my head, and washing up with Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood. It smells amazing, and contains the #1 Dermatologist-Recommended moisturizing ingredient.  It's free of dyes and parabens, and a gentle, pure clean. I feel totally new and refreshed when I step out of the shower again.

10. Let your kids entertain themselves.  Believe it or not, it's not your job to make sure your kids are entertained 24/7.  In fact, letting kids find their own (safe) ways to occupy their time can foster creativity and allow them to find interests that maybe you never would have thought of.

11. Give your kids a bath. If all else fails, fill up the tub for a bath for your kids. Throw in the bath toys, and you've just created a contained, relaxing play space for your kids. I like to put a little Ivory Original Body Wash in the tub for bath time, and we use the Ivory Original Bar Soap on a washcloth for washing.  We love Ivory soap because it's so pure and gentle. Perfect for my kids' sensitive baby-soft skin.  Ivory has created soap that's 99.44 percent pure for over 138 years, and can clean up even on the kids’ messiest days while gently nourishing their skin.

12. Put on headphones. If your child is having a day full of unnecessary meltdowns, try some headphones.  Some awesome music to help you get motivated to maybe do a little something around the house and may even drown out some of the tantrums.

13. Have a dance party. If your child is in a better mood, have a full on dance party! Hit two birds with one stone by getting in a little exercise, listening to some fun and energizing music, and putting your kids in a better mood, too! Okay, well I guess that's actually three birds, so even better!

14. Make yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea.  It's just a fact. Things look better on the other side of a relaxing, hot (caffeinated) beverage. Make it an extra large, please.

15. Eat an energizing treat. If you're not much of a coffee drinker, a little snack can still cheer you up.  Go the indulgent route with a little chocolate, or the healthful route with a handful of almonds or a slice of avocado toast. OR! You can have healthful and indulgent with some dark chocolate covered almonds.  You are welcome.

16. Take a hot shower or bath. Water can be so cathartic and relaxing.  I love taking a warm shower or bath.  You can even put a little moisturizing and nourishing Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood in the tub with you, and even bring along your book, coffee, or treat.  How's that for relaxing.  Ivory's gentle soap with leave you with a pure clean, feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to jump back into things.

17. Get enough sleep. While getting enough sleep can be difficult, especially with small children, sleep is extremely important to our overall mental health and general capacity to adult.  If necessary, set an earlier bedtime or aim to take naps when your kids do. Even if you think you won't be able to get as much done if you sleep, you'll probably find that you're much more productive (and happy) when you're well rested.

18. Get up and get dressed in the mornings.  When you feel pretty and good about yourself, it can change your whole outlook for the day.  You'll feel like you accomplished something first thing in the morning, and you're ready to take on your day, no matter what challenges you may face during it.  Try these simple vintage beauty tips to pamper yourself a little, too.

19. Drink more water. Water is good for your overall health, and overall health is good for taking care of littles. Plus, being dehydrated can cause mental fogginess and fatigue, so staying hydrated can also help you keep your mood lifted and the mommy burnout away.

20. Go outside more.  Sunshine is your friend! Just 15 minutes of sunshine per day gives you your daily required vitamin D dose, which is an essential vitamin for improving mood and energy!

21. Take a walk. A walk is another two-birds-one-stone activity.  Walking is great exercise, plus it will get you out in the sunshine.  If you live in a place where it's impossible to walk outside during the winter, head to a mall or a school or public track to get some walking in.

22. Spend time with your significant other. Your partner agreed to take on this whole parenting challenge with you.  So if you're in need of a break or some rejuvenation or just some adult conversation, look to your spouse.  Even just spending a little time after the kids go to bed to talk, unwind, or show binge with your hunny can do you a whole lot of good.

23. Keep a gratitude list.  It's important to keep some perspective.  Sure, parenting is hard, and stressful, and you're always wondering if you're doing it right or doing enough. But it's so important to remember that you have so much to be grateful for too. Happy kiddos who are loved and love you, too. A warm house to sleep in, even if it's a little disorganized and messy.  Keep a gratitude list in your journal or planner to help remind you of all the things you love about your life on those hard days.  Or if you're like me, and a gratitude list might actually be one more piece of paper to lose in the chaos, just remember to take 2 minutes each day with a deep breath to think about and remember what you're grateful for.

24. Make self-care a priority. Maybe you're thinking Yeah, okay. But I have so much to do. I don't have time to do any of those things. But here's the thing.  You need to make the time.  Let go of some of the unnecessary things. Some things don't matter as much.  If you don't make just a little time to take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else.

 

Moral of the story? Remember to go easy on yourself. The feelings of burnout won’t last forever.

You are doing the best you can and that’s all your children need but you have to take care of yourself as well. You are important. Your family sustains itself and functions because of all that you do all day long. There’s no such thing as Supermom. Just moms that try their best and take it one day, one moment, at a time.  Just remember to breathe in the stressful moments so you can enjoy the beautiful moments.

What do you do to help get out of your mommy funk?

 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ivory. The opinions and text are all mine.