3 Ways to Prevent Burnout as a Busy Mum. Start living a more happy, fulfilled life!
I’ve struggled with anxiety and “rushing woman syndrome” for what sometimes it feels like aeons!
With so much going on in our lives today, such as a new addition to the family, household obligations, clients and customers, and just life in general, we can mentally feel exhausted and burnt-out with all these responsibilities!
I'm here to warn you that burnout is from a place of “over”.
Over giving
Overthinking
Overwhelmed
Causing your adrenals to overproduce cortisol because of the stress.
Physically, to do something well you can only do one thing at any given time anyway. Even if your mind is thinking of several things at the same time. So why not learn how to slow down and be more intentional with our time and the task in front of you.
I know what you’re thinking, it’s hard with kids interrupting you all day but I’m here to tell you that there is a fix for burnout. It has to do with your morning routine and planning your day, which I’ll show you exactly how to in a minute.
Doing one thing at a time is easy, doable and removes burnout, which reduces your stress and completely removes the overwhelm, improving your overall health.
The mum guilt and why you’re doing a great job.
With much to do in little time, I prioritised work and everyone else’s needs before my own. Afterwards, if I took time out for myself, I would feel guilty.
The guilt of simply having a day where I literally did quote on quote “nothing”, it seemed counterproductive with the to-do list still waiting for me.
As mothers we need to learn that “nothing” is actually “something”. When I do “nothing” I feed myself energy to continue being there for my family.
As busy mums, we need to avoid burnout if we want to be a role model for our family and the best version of ourselves. I'm a nicer, more pleasant person simply by doing “nothing”.
I get to be the best version of myself and also, my family gets to be the best version of themselves too. That is why doing “nothing” is extremely important to prioritise.
You might be thinking, ‘easier said than done’. I’m here to tell you that it actually is easy.
Easy is a choice. A mindset shift. Easy happens when we decide what’s best for us, is best for our family.
You have to decide that you come first. This isn't about being motivated. It’s a decision.
Let go and have fun at being your best version.
Doing nothing can look different to different people.
For some it’s taking an hour to sleep/rest after school drop off, for others it’s reading a book or painting while others enjoy a lovely breakfast at a cafe with their own thoughts.
All these forms of “nothing” are actually something called “self-care''.
For me, just 20 minutes a day to focus on skincare, enables me to slow down and do a single task with more intention.
As expected, I still get through my daily to-do list but with more energy, intention and focus. I’ve carried this practice through to many other areas of my life too!
Related: How I discovered Self Care Through Skincare
If you feel that having a skincare routine might be enjoyable (it is) and avoid burnout at the same time, I invite you to give in and let go of that mum pressure.
Because you’re doing a great job. You deserve 20 minutes.
20 minutes is tiny compared to a 24hour day, but it has a massive effect on your mind, body and energy for your to-do list throughout the day.
Personally I recommended the ‘At Home Day Spa Bundle” Shop it here (Don’t forget you get 10% off with you sign up as well).
As promised, here’s 3 ways to avoid burnout and make time your best friend.
1: Plan and use a schedule
Having a routine schedule for all responsibilities helps you know exactly what you’re working on and prevents you from having everything that needs to be completed on your mind all day long. It also allows you to see how full your weekly workload is filling up, so you don’t overcommit yourself.
Schedule your time.
Put the biggest items in first, then add in the smaller ones. Give yourself office hours, house cleaning hours, lunch and tea breaks, and also breaks for self-care. Set alarms for those breaks if that helps to remind you to stop a task and pick up a new one.
Caution! Be wary of time vampires such as social media, emails, TV, or unannounced visitors and procrastination, which can all lead to unproductivity.
Have a dedicated time at the end of each day when you stop a certain task and move onto the next, or start to wind down and relax (the rest can wait until tomorrow).
Plan your week ahead of time.
Prioritize your list so you get the most important tasks done first. Be sure to create a list that you can finish, given your schedule, or else you will be overwhelmed on a daily basis. I had to start using a planner to stay organized each week by recording all my projects, events, and their due dates, then force myself to stick to it, and tick things off as I completed them.
TIP: Don’t forget to schedule and plan self-care activities, or what I like to call a “Mental Health Day’ more on that below!
2: Outsource and Automate
Don’t be afraid to DELEGATE or even better AUTOMATE tasks because, the reality is, no one can physically or emotionally “do it all”.
It’s not uncommon to hire a virtual assistant, a cleaner, a nanny (even a partner!) to periodically outsource some of the workloads they need to get done.
Even if you don’t have someone hired on a regular basis, there are lots of freelancers that would be happy to take one-time projects off your hands so you can focus on more important duties – and not overwhelm yourself with so much work! Or ask someone to help to set up systems in order to free up your time. In Australia, we have Airtasker or Facebook Marketplace if you need people for odd house jobs. I’ve seen people who clean baby car seats for $50.
Do, Delegate, Dump
You can do one of the three things for each task. Focus on doing only what you can do. Delegate the things that can be bartered or hired out. Dump anything that is not serving you, your business, or your relationships.
3: Learn to say no!
Many people in your circles don’t mean to consume your time.
They could just be innocently seeking your advice, opinion or suggestions. But if you’re anything like me, (a major people pleaser), it can be difficult to say “no”.
Perhaps if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you could simply tell that person “sorry I can’t right now, but I’ll be more than happy to help you at a later stage” (if your time permits).
Or maybe there are things you’ve been saying yes to that simply suck your energy dry. Identify those tasks in your life that are draining you, and analyze if they are as important as you have been making them out to be.
Remind yourself of your priorities, and that you do have the ability to say “no” to something because when you say yes to something for work, you’re saying no to other things in your life.
This goes without saying, sometimes work can offer more validation, ignite more passion and creativity, or simply help bring in much-needed money to pay the bills. There will always be time for more work in the future.
Your self-care, however, is the source of your energy. Your number one priority is and has to be your own self-care
Learn to Practice Self Care or the Art of doing “Nothing”
Fill your own cup first.
Take time every morning to do whatever makes you happy and energizes you. It looks different for everyone. It could be meditation, prayer, a walk in nature, or just time to chill and enjoy your coffee.
Nourish your body on a cellular level, in order for your body to endure, you need to sustain it, so eat and sleep well.
Rest is productive too. We don’t have to be doing things all the time. Slow down and breathe often.
Related: 6 Daily Self Care Habits to Make Self Care Easy
Have a Mental Health Day. Take 24 hours off to do nothing but dream. No expectations, deadlines, or pressures. Just relax and dream.
Remind yourself that you are a human BEing, not a human DOing.
You’re going to do great things!
Re-energise yourself and shop our range of self-care bundles today.
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