4 signs that you may be experiencing mom burnout and need to slow down

As mums, it can be hard to find moments to check in with ourselves.

Sometimes it feels like we rush through our days on fast forward and before our head even hits the pillow at night, the alarm is ringing, getting us ready for the craziness of the next day. That’s life with kids, especially when they’re young, and everybody reaches pressurizing points in their parenthood journey.

Kids making noise and disturbing mom working at home

But there comes a point when life gets so hectic and so much of it is spent serving other people, that you might miss some warning signs for your own mental health.

Mums get burned out too, so it’s really important to keep an eye out for the signs that you may be reaching a breaking point.

Easily triggered

Woman In Knitted Shirt Is Screaming

It can be too easy to take our children’s behaviour personally. When they act up, we can see it as a personal reflection on our parenting. But sometimes, kids are just kids. And we’re just humans.

We can feel a lack of control when things spiral, whether it’s our kids acting out, the dinner being messed up or a messy living room, and as a result, we snap. Even if it feels like it’s over something small, it likely isn’t. It’s much more likely to be because of a large amount of small things that have resulted in you – rightfully – reaching the end of your tether and getting burned out.

Take a little time for yourself and figure out why that freak out over something seemingly small may have happened and how you can take some time for you to ensure you don’t reach that breaking point again.

Feeling ashamed and guilty

Woman Comforting Friend

In this modern world where Mummy culture and Insta mums have access to our feeds all day everyday, it can sometimes feel like nothing we do as mothers is ever enough. We don’t pack cute heart-shaped sandwiches, or look a million dollars first thing in the morning, or have a house that I absolutely spotless while simultaneously managing three kids under the age of five!

We can end up feeling super guilty about our parenting choices, our kids, our partners, ourselves s- it can all snowball until you feel like you’re the worst mum to ever exist. What’s important to remember is that everyone feels that way sometimes and that no one is perfect – not even Insta mums!

Anxiety spikes

Grayscale Photography of Crying Woman

Mum is one of the most underappreciated and most difficult roles in the world. You are responsible for raising self-sufficient, well-rounded and well-adjusted little people – and sometimes the pressure of that can hit home.

It’s all too easy to wonder about the food you’re giving them, the example you’re setting them, the choices you’re making for them. It can make us feel breathless with panic sometimes when we wonder, ‘Am I doing this the right way?’. In reality, there is no right way. There is just doing the best that you can for your kids.

Not making time for yourself

Selective Focus Photography of Person Watching Watch

If it feels like it’s utterly impossible for you to make time in your day for yourself – even in the evening after the kids have gone to bed – that’s a sign of burn out. Or even worse, if you feel guilty taking time for yourself, that’s a major red flag.

As humans, and especially as mums, we need our space to unwind and shake off some of the responsibility of the job that is never done. If your day is so full of kids, home, work, responsibility and maintaining other people and relationships that the first moment you get all day to yourself is when your head hits the pillow, then some delegating needs to be done in your household.

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