Are you feeling overwhelmed as a mom? Do you feel like you are constantly juggling too many things and don’t know how to get it all done? You are not alone! I remember days of being busy all day long and then being frustrated that my house still was a wreck!
I want to discuss five strategies that can help overwhelmed moms regain control of their lives. If that’s you, then keep reading! Yes, there will be overwhelming days, but you want those to be more rare. I promise, there is hope!
Is it Normal to Feel Overwhelmed as a Mother?
You may be feeling that you’re all alone in feeling overwhelmed as a mom, but the truth is, many mothers feel this way. In fact, in the past couple of years, the percentage of overwhelmed moms has risen to 69%! So, it is definitely normal to feel this way at times!
As a mom, you often do most of the care for your children the cleaning, and household shopping. It can be so much to keep track of, especially if your children are young and need a lot of hands-on care.
What Causes Overwhelm in Mothers?
There are many things that can cause overwhelm in mothers. We’re all different and have different lives, so it won’t be the same for everyone. However, some common causes include:
- Having too many responsibilities
- Not having enough help or support
- Feeling like you’re not doing a good job as a mother
- Parenting problems such as colic, sleep deprivation, and discipline issues
- Stress from work or other aspects of your life spilling over into your home life
- Not having efficient routines
- Too much stuff everywhere!
- Health issues that affect your energy
Overwhelmed Stay-at-Home Mom
All mothers can deal with feeling overwhelmed, but there are some unique aspects of being overwhelmed for the mom who stays home. As a stay-at-home mom, you may feel like you are constantly juggling housework, child care, and your own needs. You are also more likely to also feel isolated, unsupported, and unappreciated.
Introverted moms especially will tend to get out less and therefore struggle with making friends or building a support system. Trust me, I know how hard it can be, but we all need community, especially as stay-at-home moms.
Want to learn more about living a simple life? Maybe you want to live more intentionally or find easier ways to do things. Be sure to learn how you can get started today!
Overwhelmed Mom Syndrome
What even is overwhelmed mom syndrome? Overwhelmed mom syndrome is a term used to describe the condition of being a mother who feels constantly overwhelmed and stressed. If you feel like this, don’t worry, you are not alone!
Around 40 percent of moms feel overwhelmed after having a baby, but as we’ve already seen, it often doesn’t stop then. Many moms continue to feel overwhelmed, and not just occasional. Overwhelmed mom syndrome is hard to put a finger on because it means different things to different people. For some, it might describe the paralyzing feeling that comes with having too many choices and not knowing where to start. Or maybe it’s the sensation of being constantly behind, juggling a never-ending To-Do list while trying to keep up appearances that everything is okay.
For others, overwhelmed mom syndrome could be linked to postpartum depression, which affects about 1 out of 7 new moms. It might mean struggling with chronic stress or insomnia from caring for a newborn around the clock. And for still others, overwhelmed mom syndrome manifests as perfectionism and an inability to ever find satisfaction in one’s accomplishments.
No matter what overwhelmed mom syndrome feels like for you, the good news is that there is hope. You’re not alone, and there are things you can do to regain control of your life. Let’s check out some of these strategies.
Overwhelmed Mom Tips
If you are feeling overwhelmed and like you have lost control of your life, don’t worry! Now that we know a bit more about what can cause overwhelm in mothers, let’s discuss some strategies for reducing your feelings of being overwhelmed.
Please don’t try all of these at once, but pick one to start. Also, you may need some extra help until you are able to get things under control.
1. Identify your stressors
Once you know what is causing your stress, you can start to develop a plan to address it. It may take some time, but focus on the biggest stressors first. You may find it helpful to write down your responsibilities and then identify those top things that need to change.
2. Simplify your life
There are so many things you can do to simplify your life. The small changes that you can make lead to big differences! The more you simplify, the less responsibility on your shoulders. It’s so freeing!
3. Create routines
Create routines and stick to them. Having routines in place can help reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by giving you a sense of control over your life. Seriously, building routines changed my life! Try to schedule time for all of the important things in your life, such as eating healthy meals, exercising, spending time with your husband, and relaxing downtime (yes, this is a must in order to help avoid burnout!).
4. Pray
Talk to God about it. Yup! Just pour it all out. He can handle your emotions and frustrations. Ask Him for help to get things under control. Ask Him to guard the sharp tongue that tends to come when we’re feeling stressed. Pray for wisdom and strength.
5. Get help
Ask for help when you need it. There is no shame in admitting that you can’t do it all on your own. Ask your husband or family, delegate chores to older children, or hire a mommy’s helper if possible. By taking some responsibilities off your plate, you will decrease that feeling of overwhelm!
Now that you have some strategies to help you be less overwhelmed, what step will you take today? What is something that is causing you the most overwhelm? Please comment below.
Check out these helpful posts:
How to Create a Daily Routine and Stick to it!
