Let’s be honest, raising kids is HARD work.
Add a job to the mix and phew, there are no breaks for mama.
Coming home from working all day, being tasked with cooking dinner, making sure everyone eats their fill, bathing, and getting everyone into bed is a daunting task that is the reality for a lot of moms.
And guess what, you get to do it all again tomorrow!
For myself, even when I have the day off or it’s the weekend, there’s often still no relaxing.
After working all week, there are loads of laundry to do and put away, vacuuming, cleaning, and all of the other weekly household chores that need done.
It feels hard to stay ahead.
And it is.
A lot of it you try to do while your kiddo is awake but some things just can’t be done in that time so you wait until nap and/or bedtime.
Then it’s work, work, work.
But hey, you find time to sit down!
And then your kiddo starts to stir and nap time is over or you are just so utterly exhausted yourself.
Ugh, maybe tomorrow you will be able to sit down a little longer.
The mental workload of a mom is REAL.
It can be overwhelming at times.
Sometimes you need to prioritize yourself and set aside some time to take a mental break.
Whether this means watching your favorite show, painting, or sitting outside, you HAVE to find time to do those things or else you will burn out.
Just like your tot is refreshed after nap and/or bedtime, you should be too!
I challenge you to find time every day to take a break and do something you enjoy.
Even if it’s only for 10 minutes, you need to do something for YOU!
I’ve put together some of my favorite things to do to lighten my mental load to give you some ideas and inspire you to do the same.
Take a Walk
This is honestly one of my favorite ways to lighten my mental load. The best part about this is, I take my toddler with me. My toddler is decent in a stroller because we have been going on walks together a few days every week since she was born. Getting the fresh air seriously helps so much!
Even if you don’t go on a walk and just spend some time outside, I promise you, it’ll help! It’s so good for your kids to have time outside each day as well. Even if it’s cold, bundle up and take everyone out to play. It’ll keep your kiddo busy for a while too so that’s a bonus.
I can’t tell you how often I feel defeated, down, or just plain negative and I spend some time outside and it turns everything around! Getting some fresh air and Vitamin D can do wonders for the soul.
Connect With Another Mom
Who better to understand the mom mental load than another mom? Bonus if their kiddo is around the same age! This doesn’t have to be an in-person relationship (although play dates are great), but it could also be an online connection where another mom is just a text away. Just like everyone says talking about your feelings helps, it really does, especially when the person you are talking to knows how you are feeling.
I don’t have many mom friends who have kiddos around the same age as mine, so I am part of a mom’s Facebook group with kids all born the same month/year as mine. This has been SO HELPFUL to me! Whether you are wondering if AB&C are normal, or if your child is going through the same thing, these groups have it all. They are all real moms, just like you. It is such a supportive community where you can make real connections with moms and they all know exactly how you feel. And sometimes, that’s half the battle.
Scheduled “Me Time”
Let’s be honest, we moms have to actually schedule alone time. This doesn’t have to mean asking someone else to watch your little while you get a massage (although, doesn’t that sound great?). It could be as simple as carving out a set amount of time during nap time or before bed where you force yourself to sit down and take it easy.
If your kiddo has a pretty consistent nap schedule, you could schedule this “me time” towards the end of the nap (even if it’s 10 minutes, it makes a difference!). You could also set aside some time at the beginning of the nap as well (this way, you know you’ll get to enjoy it).
I do however encourage you to occasionally have some real scheduled “me time” doing things you love such as a massage, getting your nails done, hanging out with a friend, etc. Needing this time DOES NOT make you a bad mom, everyone needs alone time! And it can make a huge difference in your mood, making you a happier mama for your little.
Lightening the mental load doesn’t have to be difficult as I have shown above.
It can be really easy!
You just have to prioritize yourself enough to make it happen.
Prioritize yourself? What???
YES!
Please, mama, I promise you will be a gazillion times happier if you sprinkle some of these things into every day!
And if not, even a few times a week will help to lighten the load.
Here at Happy Moms Club, I am dedicated to not only give you great ideas for your tots but also to increase your happiness as a mom.
Although it may seem like we are last on the list most of the time, I’m here to tell you to take a minute to put yourself first occasionally.
After all, what’s the saying?
“Happy wife, happy life”?
Okay, let’s create a new one for MOMS!
It’s going to be “Happy mom, happy literally everyone else!”
Because let’s be honest, if Mama Bear isn’t happy, nobody is.
So please, sprinkle some of these into your life and remember to slow down.
I would love to hear some things that YOU enjoy doing to lighten the mental load!
XOXO,
Katie
