As a stay at home mom, you are on call all the time which can easily lead to burnout.
It is draining on the body, mind, and, heart. All of this can easily lead to a stay at home mom depression.
You don’t get time to yourself or scheduled lunch breaks. You are changing diapers, cutting food into bite size pieces, making crafts, reading books, playing outside, wiping away tears, and listening to little ones questions and cries all day long.Â
Signs of Stay at Home Mom Burnout:
- You lack joy as a mom.
- You feel exhausted.
- You don’t have energy to care for yourself.
- You are overwhelmed by everything.
- You are tired and irritable.
- You procrastinate household tasks
Overcome Stay at Home Mom Burnout:
1. Take care of yourself too.
It is so easy to focus on all the needs of your family and household that you forget to take care of yourself. But in order to take care of everyone else, you have to have energy yourself.
Make a list of the habits that energize you. Are you doing them? If not, it is time to start making those habits a priority.
Here are some quick ideas for taking care of yourself:
- Get enough sleep.
- Drink enough water.
- Take breaks throughout the day.
- Allow for quiet times when you have a chance to think.
- Plan to get out of the house and interact with adults.
- Keep a gratitude journal and focus your mind on positive things.
- Start a hobby with these hobby ideas for stay at home moms.
And if you want step-by-step help be sure to join my online course Self Care 101 for Stay at Home Moms and give your family the best version of yourself!
2. Clearly state WHY you are a stay at home mom.
When I hear the word just in front of stay at home mom, it insinuates that stay at home moms “don’t do anything.” They just stay home.
But that is SO not true! Stay at home moms have a far reaching influence. You are making your home and your family a priority.
Parents give children their first understanding of love, security, and self worth. So the fact that you choose to pour into your children’s lives day in and day out, reading the same book 5 times in a row and patiently dealing with toddler temper tantrums means you are letting your family know they are loved and valued.Â
But in the midst of it all, it can become routine to a point where you forget WHY you are doing these things.Â
Remember that you aren’t just washing the dishes. The reason you have dirty dishes in the first place is you provided a meal for your family’s physical needs.
You aren’t just folding clean clothes. You are making sure your husband has clothes to wear to work and your kids have clothes to wear so they can learn and grow.
You aren’t just listening to your child talk, you are letting them know you love them and are interested in what they have to say.
There is so much purpose in your role as a stay at home mom!
3. Find your self worth outside of being a mom.
Society often equates self-worth with job titles. So as a stay at home mom it can be hard to feel like you have self worth.
If you worked outside the home before becoming a stay at home mom, you had a job title. You got dressed up for work. You followed a routine and schedule. Then everything changed…No job to get ready for each day. No job description telling you what your responsibilities were. No schedule to follow.
You probably feel like the maid, cook, and chauffeur. If you feel this way, make sure you are doing things for yourself besides taking care of the home and kids.
- do something fun or productive
- pick up an old hobby that you may have given up
- start a blog or YouTube channel
- set personal goals
- read books
- meet up with friends
- do an exercise you enjoy
4. View being a stay at home mom as a job.
While you may not have an official job with a paycheck, you have the MOST important job of your life, and you need to start thinking of it that way. Treat your role as a stay at home mom as a job (that you love).
- Get dressed every day.
- Follow a daily stay at home mom schedule.
- Plan out your tasks.
- Take pride in what you do.
And remember that above all else you are glorifying God with what you are doing. Here are some verses that helped me realize what I was doing as a stay at home mom has high worth.
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
Psalm 127:3 “Children are a gift from the Lord. They are a reward from him.”
5. Ask for help.
You are on call all the time, but you need breaks. If you don’t get time to yourself or the help that you need, you will burnout.
Think of one of two people you could ask for help. Maybe it is your husband.
It would be nice if he could read your mind, but of course he can’t. Be sure to tell him specifically what you need help with.
Maybe a friend could help too. Ask if you could swap babysitting. That way you both get a chance for a break.
Stay at Home Mom Depression FAQ
One of the best things you can do is take a break. Put the kids in the stroller and go for a walk. Ask someone to watch the kids for an afternoon. Let the kids watch a TV show. (Don’t feel guilty for a little TV!) Also, express how you are feeling through journaling, prayer, or talking to a spouse or friend.
Being a stay at home mom can feel both overwhelming and underwhelming all at the same time. They are literally in charge of the well being of their families along with all the other household management. But doing these seemingly mundane tasks every day is often a stark contrast to challenges and accomplishments from a previous career. It’s important to know what causes the depression in order to fix it.
Watch the Video for Help with Stay at Home Mom Depression
One thought on “5 Steps to Overcome Stay at Home Mom Burnout”
This is a very serious topic that is often overlooked by many. Being a stay a home mom is a lot of work and it isn’t until a person actually does it for a day that they realize that it’s a lot of work.