We often take working moms for granted. Many of us forget how hard they work and feel entitled to the work they do for us. The unpaid labor they put in when raising a family is often as intense as holding a full-time job. Yet we see mothers working and taking care of their families alongside their careers all the time. As a result, they often begin to experience stress, anxiety, and burnout. Not only do they suffer in silence, but they continue to plod along despite having it harder than their male partners.
If you’re one such hardworking mom, pat yourself on the back because you deserve it. But what you also deserve is a break from all this so that you can focus on your physical and mental health. And while a vacation would great, that may not always be an option. Instead, we’ve outlined some simple ways you can keep yourself healthy and sane in a busy life. These include:
Fall back on your spirituality
A spiritual person is more likely to push through the struggle and take solace in believing that something or someone is watching over them. Spirituality doesn’t always have to mean religiousness. Some people can be spiritual yet not believe in the conventional ideas of religion that we know.
Mystic physics and earth-based spiritual awakening is another form of spirituality that many people don’t know about. Your spiritual development journey can start today if you look at this with an open mind. Not only do you stand a chance to find mental peace and comfort, but it’s also a great way to make room for new life experiences.
Write a journal
When daily stress becomes too much to handle, consider writing your day’s thoughts down in a diary. The catharsis that comes from writing is unique. Moreover, it’s a quick, simple, and somewhat engaging way of relieving your stress at the end of a long day. Some people even look forward to writing in their diary before they go to sleep.
Journaling is a great way to clear brain fog and bring a sense of direction into your life. Moreover, it helps relieve negative emotions by penning them down instead of acting on them. Writing about stress, depression, and trauma and then tearing/burning the paper also relieves many people. So the next time you’re pissed off at your employer or the kids, take it out in a diary instead of on them.
Self-love after a long day of work
After a long day’s work, there’s nothing like drawing yourself a warm bath with a few candles and natural body scrub. You owe it to yourself to relax and unwind after slugging it out the whole day. Taking care of a family and juggling work is far more complex than most people realize. With a busy schedule, most women would instead ensure that everyone else is okay rather than taking care of themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that, but remember to make time and pamper yourself if no one else will.
Throw on a facemask and watch your favorite show on Netflix. Better yet, wait for the kids to fall asleep, order some food and satisfy your midnight cravings before calling it an early night. You could also reserve time for other personal activities such as a spa day or a hangout with some close friends to help you unwind and de-stress. Recharging your batteries by pampering yourself is essential. If no one else does it for you, do it for yourself and bring a sense of comfort to your life.
Put in your leave application
Far too many people skip out on the chance to take a leave. Many people are nervous about asking for what’s due to them and end up overworking themselves to exhaustion. But that’s not good for your physical and mental health. You must realize that you need to utilize your paid vacation; otherwise, it will lapse at the end of the year. There’s nothing worse than losing out on time with your loved ones because of an unfair working environment.
Take a vacation and enjoy your time off. Whether you choose to spend your days off at home or traveling, the choice is yours, and you should do whatever comforts you. However, leaving the city stress behind is a great way to clear your head and get away from it all.
Moreover, a paid vacation gives you the necessary recharge your social batteries need. Human beings can only go on for so long before burning out from exhaustion. Before you have a mental breakdown, put your wellness first and take the vacation before it’s too late. The edge may be much closer than you think, don’t push your limits.
Practice mindfulness
It would be a good idea to practice meditation whenever you get the chance to. Coupled with light yoga and pilates stretches and you’re working your body and mind at the same time. Meditation is known to be an excellent source of stress relief and can boost your health. Moreover, evening meditation after a long day’s work just might help you sleep better at night, which is also great.
Mindful meditation is a great way to train your brain to relieve stress as well. Experiencing your surroundings through your five senses is known to bring a sense of relief to individuals who frequently engage in mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a somewhat new form of meditation rooted in the discipline of psychology. Humanistic Psychology and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are known to use mindfulness as a means to cope. In the last 30 years, there has been a rise in mindful meditative practices, and it has become one of the most common forms of therapy to cope with bad work-life balance in modern times.
Conclusion
If you’re a busy mom who’s tirelessly working at the office and home and need to catch a break, this article has some meaningful tips for you. These include practicing spirituality, maintaining a journal of your thoughts as a form of catharsis, indulging in some self-care, making good use of your paid days off from work, and practicing mindfulness. By following these tips, you can significantly improve your mental and physical health and avoid burning out too fast, too soon. However, if you feel like stress is taking over, it’s always a good idea to complement the tips above with professional help. You can find it easily online on sites like Prairie Health.