Stay-at-home moms are the hardest working women in the world. Taking care of kids is a full-time job in itself, not to mention the housework, errands, and other assorted tasks that come along with being responsible for a household. If you find being a full-time stay-at-home mom to be exhausting or overwhelming, you aren’t alone; more than half of stay-at-home parents report feeling burnt out at higher rates than those who work full-time jobs outside the house. If you fall into this category, don’t fear! Here are a few tips to help you succeed.
Instead of trying to remember everything that you have on your plate, write it down. This will not only make the prospect of everything you have to do seem less daunting but will help ensure that you don’t forget anything important and can help you prioritize certain tasks and create an efficient schedule accordingly. To help you out even further, get into the habit of making your to-do list for the following day before bed each night. This will help o clear your mind and alleviate stress before bed and will get the following day started right when you know exactly what you need to do starting the moment you wake up.
Getting out of the house and enjoying a change of scenery as often as possible can help to break up the monotony of everyday life and keep you from feeling bored or restless. Try to get out of the house for at least an hour each day, and try to spend at least a small amount of time doing something enjoyable just for you; this can be as small as driving to Starbucks to grab a coffee or going to Target to browse the skincare aisle in between other household errands or after taking the kids to school.
As a stay-at-home mom, you are your own boss. This can be good, as it allows you to work on your own terms and make your own schedule for each day; however, this also means that you might struggle with knowing who to go to should you need help. Those who work in traditional offices can reach out to their boss when they are struggling in their personal or professional lives, or attend training programs from companies like hsi.com when things need to be improved in the workplace. When you are a stay-at-home parent, you do not have an immediate guaranteed support system like that outside of your immediate family. When you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out to your friends or a professional. Many stay at home moms find that seeing a therapist once a week is a great way to work through stress, and can be an excuse to get out of the house and take time for yourself every week.