Avoiding Mom Burnout

I am exhausted, and I know I’m not alone. The days are long, and the minutes feel even longer. I’m pretty sure I have evolved into a human jungle gym that makes lunches. Between working full-time (daycare teacher here!), a commute that leaves much to be desired, and mamahood, it is so stinking easy to feel overwhelmed, exasperated, and just plain spent, and all of this can lead to mom burnout.

Here are some things I do to help avoid mom burnout on a daily basis:

I wash my face.

This one seems really silly when I type it out honestly. But, it’s true. I take five whole minutes to myself, and I do my skincare routine. It’s super refreshing, it gives me a hot minute to pause the constant chaos, and I always feel better after I do. If you don’t have a skincare routine, I’d suggest you get one or you can always pretend and hide in your bathroom for a few minutes too.

I meal plan.

I do this once a week which helps take the pressure off meal times during the week. (Any questions about this, I have a whole post on it!) Having everything planned out is super helpful and simple to do.

I don’t play with my kids 24/7.

This one feels weird to write too. While it feels weird to write, I let my kids play independently during a part of every day. I don’t need to push them on the swing for 4 straight hours even though that’s exactly what both of them would love me to do. I clean while they’re awake, and I read my book while they play outside. They don’t need hands-on attention all day every day, but they do need guidance. Honestly, my kids have become more creative since starting to incorporate this.

I don’t feel guilty about screen time.

Do not come for me, but yes, my kids watch TV. Their brains need a break too! It’s okay for both of us to need time to chill out and relax. Some of our favorites right now are Bluey (I mean, duh), Blues Clues (the OG), Paw Patrol, and Trash Truck. We also sprinkle in the occasional Mickey and Winnie the Pooh. We also put books on the TV and that’s a huge hit! I’m not afraid to use this time when we all need a break.

I run.

This one is definitely not popular, but I love to run. It’s always time that’s just mine. I don’t have to worry about anybody but myself. I listen to my own music, do my own thing, and just focus on breathing. Nothing else matters when I’m running.

I communicate when I’m feeling mom burnout.

I’m getting better at this, but I ask my partner for help. This one isn’t always easy either, but when I feel like I’m going to snap, I tell him. It’s not productive to anyone if I’m not a nice human so it’s important to communicate when I’m feeling burnt out.

I do weekly brain dumps.

Mamas, please please stop trying to keep everything in your brains. It’s hard enough to remember to drink water, never mind the other 700 other things you have to keep track of. Write down what you need to do, need to buy, and need to clean. Don’t work so hard that everything is jumbled in your head.

I’m not perfect, but I do try really hard to be a good mama, employee, wife, and human. Every day is different and presents different challenges but keeping these rules for myself really helps keep my brain flowing, my emotions much more manageable, and mom burnout from happening.