As a Mom, it’s normal to put the emotional needs of everyone else around you before your own. After all, doing so means that you’re able to show up for your children when they need you most, whether they’re facing problems at school or dealing with the dreaded nightmares.
However, while taking this course of action is understandable, caring for others should not come at the expense of your own mental health and well-being. After all, you cannot pour from an empty cup!
Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash
With that in mind, here are some effective strategies that you can use to deal with stress, anxiety and other negative emotions as a mom!
Try CBT. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most highly recommended forms of therapy when it comes to managing stress and anxiety. This is because it can help you turn positive thoughts into negative ones, meaning that you’re better prepared to handle any challenges that may come your way moving forward.
Read self-help books. Self-help books can also play a key role in improving your mental health as a parent. There are many different reasons for this. Firstly, they can help you to recognize that you aren’t alone, as others have gone through exactly what you are going through (and have even written a book about it). Furthermore, the books will also contain a wide range of tips that you can use to change your perspective on certain situations or to develop healthy coping mechanisms. There are many different self-help books that are geared specifically toward moms, such as Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enjoy Motherhood More.
Play solitaire. While this may seem a little unconventional when compared to some of the other stress-busting techniques featured in this article, card games such as solitaire are scientifically proven to lower stress and anxiety among players. This is because, for the duration of the game, you’re focused on winning and putting the cards in the right place and not whatever is causing you stress. As such, it can be a great way to clear your mind. Furthermore, given that the average game of solitaire lasts 11 minutes, it’s easy to make time in your schedule for a quick game of solitaire. For example, you could play while drinking your morning coffee!
Ask for help when you need it. While you may have stepped into the role of Supermom the moment your kids were born, you do not have to do it all by yourself. There is no shame whatsoever in asking for help, whether that be from your partner, a friend, or a family member. In fact, it’s sometimes an inevitable part of parenting!
Develop a home workout routine. Working out is a great way to combat stress and anxiety. For example, it can help to improve everything from your body image to your mental health and outlook on your situation. However, as a busy mom, it can sometimes be hard to fit the gym into your routine. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to this, such as home workouts.
Try to get as much sleep as you can. Getting enough sleep as a parent can be difficult, especially when your children are relatively young and wake up multiple times throughout the night. However, as poor sleeping habits can have an increasingly negative impact on your mental health, this is something that you need to tackle with relative urgency. Fortunately, there are many different ways in which you can correct negative sleeping habits. For example, you can:
- Develop a consistent nighttime routine. Studies have found that, much like with children, adults will find it easier to fall asleep by maintaining a consistent schedule (going to bed at the same time each night).
- Avoid using your phone before bed. While scrolling through your social media may help you to relax, the light from your phone’s screen stops your brain from shutting down properly, making it harder to sleep.
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon. Caffeine is a stimulant which, while helpful in the morning, can leave you awake until the early hours of the morning if consumed too late. As such, you should avoid drinking any caffeinated beverages after 12 pm.
Practice self-care. Practicing self-care is also a great way to improve your mental health, as it means that you are no longer putting your needs to the side to care for others. Fortunately, there are many different ways in which you can practice self-care as a busy parent without sacrificing too much of your time. For example, a simple skincare routine can help you to start (and end) your day on the right note while also boosting your confidence by restoring your natural, healthy glow.
Speak to a therapist. Speaking to a therapist can also be useful when it comes to dealing with stress, anxiety and other negative emotions, especially if you are struggling to find an effective solution. After all, working with a therapist means that you are able to work through complex emotions, furthering your understanding of them. In addition to this, they will also be able to help you develop a range of strategies that you can utilize whenever your emotions take hold of you again moving forward.
While reaching out to a therapist can be transformative, so can opening up to those around you, such as your partner, friends or family members. While you may have bottled up your feelings for some time so as not to worry others, they would rather you let them know how you are feeling as opposed to suffering in silence. After all, this then gives them the chance to show up for you and offer support where necessary. While they may not be able to resolve your issues outright, they can provide you with advice or simply a shoulder to cry on – which is often enough to help you change your mindset for the better. As such, instead of keeping everything to yourself, resolve to be as open and honest as you can be.
