Are You a Busy, Overwhelmed Mother?

 

Recently, with the beginning of the school year again, a lot of women have expressed feeling more busy than ever with mom-duties.  The cooking, cleaning, diapering, bathing, packing lunches, carpools, and playdates just are never-ending.  I have seen mother after mother express feeling utterly overwhelmed with their responsibilities and feeling like there is no time for themselves or for their husbands either.  Not surprisingly, we are seeing that women are not doing productive goal-oriented behavior all the time.  Rather, women are reporting that they waste a lot of time, yet feel like they have no time to themselves.  Does this sound like anyone you know?  Well it's completely normal for women to carry much of the burden of housework and childcare, in addition to working outside the home.  So many of you are thinking, okay, well what can I do about this?  Here are some ways to cope with feeling completely overwhelmed and getting some more time for yourselves:

1) Make a to do list.  It sounds simple, but so few of us actually do this.  This helps our brains organize the chaos of everyday life.   Try to write down VERY targeted tasks.  For example, rather than "

2) Prioritize.  Do you really need to do laundry today or can it wait for tomorrow?

3) Make a schedule for yourself.  Again, sounds simple, but how many of us are running around like chickens with our heads cut off and we have no idea where the last hour went on facebook?  It's okay to make some time to spend on the internet, but if we plan than into our schedule, it will feel a lot more productive.  Rather than wasting a few hours in the evening on facebook, why not schedule "me time" and make a conscious decision to spend your time like that?

4) Schedule some time to hang out with your husbands.  It might not be daily, but it should at least be weekly.  You obviously like his company or you wouldn't have married him.  Most women report that their husbands help them feel relaxed and improve their mood.  Schedule some down time (without computers) to sit and relax or enjoy one another.

5) Go to bed earlier.  You'll feel better if you just stop what you're doing and get more sleep.  

6) Ask for help.  This might be getting a babysitter, swapping babysitting with a friend, getting a cleaning lady, or just confiding in a friend.  Of course if you are feeling very overwhelmed, anxious and/or depressed, seeking professional help should make a lot of difference for you.