Calling All Stressed Moms!

Being a mom has been one of the most rewarding jobs of my life, but there are days (many of them, can you relate?) where being a mom is one of the most difficult things I’ve done! I often think, “Why didn’t my mom tell me about this?” I was just having this conversation the other night with my hair stylist, a mom of two, as my daughter had a bit of ants in her pants!

As mothers, we often forget to take care of ourselves because we’re caught up in the madness that is life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a stay at home mom or you work outside the home, being a mother is stressful! I’d like to share some strategies to help combat the stress monster:

Get the kids on a schedule. The best thing that we can all do as moms is to get our kids on a schedule and keep them on it. The keeping to it and the consistency always seems to be the hardest part.

When you try to stick to a routine you’ll feel more comfortable handling breakfasts, lunches, naps, and bed times. When you don’t have a schedule, you may begin to feel scattered or disorganized and your stress levels will increase exponentially! Things are always unpredictable when kids are involved, but when you have even the simplest structure, your days will be a little more predictable and you’ll save your sanity!

Don’t be afraid to put yourself in time out. Many mothers feel like they just have to keep pushing forward when they are about to come unglued. Oh how I can relate! We get stressed and often need to take a breather, just like kids!

Instead of continuing to push forward when you are about to snap, walk into another room and just breathe deeply for a few minutes. I encourage my daughter to do this, it’s good advice for us moms, too. While you are breathing, picture how you would like to respond to the situation and then remind yourself that it is important for you to follow through in a calm manner. It takes some consistency and conditioning, but it can really help.

Eat healthy. If you ask 100 moms what their diets are like, at least 85 of them will look at you and cringe. Unfortunately, there’s a tendency to just eat what you can, when you can. Even if you are on the go you need to make a conscious effort to eat well. When you eat nutritious foods, you are providing your body with the energy it needs to keep up with your kids and cope with the stress you encounter every day. We always seem to put ourselves last, but we are really no good to anyone if we don’t take care of ourselves and that includes how we nourish our bodies!

Create a support system. Teaming up with other moms makes a great support system. I have a core group of moms who are only a text, phone call or e-mail away when I need support. It’s always such a relief to know that something so simple and effortless can help so much. It’s always good to know that I have someone I can call who won’t question my abilities but will just listen and empathize.

All moms feel the stress that comes with the job, so make sure to surround yourself with other moms that will be happy to listen to you when you need a shoulder to lean on; and be sure to return the favor!

Make time for yourself. As moms, we often forget that we’re important too! This is why you need to make time for yourself every day. You may think that there is no time, but there is if you get help or if you sneak in some relaxation after the kids go to bed or before they get up. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure (or take yourself to get one-if it’s in the budget), drink that cup of tea slowly, read a book, take a long bath, or get a massage. Your relaxation time doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it needs to be there. Even 15 minutes every day can make all the difference!

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