Signs of Burnout in Moms
Moms are some of the busiest people on the planet and many times we hear that moms get to the point where they feel tired and burned out. It’s not shocking this happens; we’re busy caring for others and doing hundreds of things every single day. It’s normal for moms to feel burned out or tired, but there are several warning signs to know if it’s more severe than you may be considering. Noticing these signs and thinking about how you are truly feeling can help you to be proactive against burnout and seek help if you need to. Here are some common signs of burnout in moms:
Lacking motivation to do the things you normally do. These things are part of your daily routines such as doing your hair and makeup, getting dressed in the morning, or making a healthy salad for lunch. It’s normal to take a lazier day every once in a while and decide to just keep your sweatpants on. When the days start to stack together where you’re no longer motivated to keep up with these regular routines that typically make you feel good, this can be a sign of burnout and depression.
Change in your sleep patterns. This can look like two separate things. The first is not getting enough sleep during the night and the second is getting your hours of sleep but not feeling rested when you wake up in the morning. Both of these are signs that there has been a change in your wellbeing.
Lacking motivation to do fun activities you usually enjoy. Maybe you and your friends plan to meet once a month for dinner and this month you just aren’t feeling like going. Or something you typically look forward to doing, like going to a concert or an art fair, comes up and you have no interest in attending. You likely are experiencing burnout when the things you enjoy doing the most can’t motivate you.
You’re annoyed with the people you care about. Getting a call from your partner feels irritating or talking with your mom feels like more work than it should be. These feelings of annoyance or irritability aren’t normal for the long term and can be a warning sign there’s something else going on.
You find yourself being crabby with your kids. This is usually where many moms draw the line. They see themselves giving up things they enjoy but have a hard time when it starts to affect their kids. Maybe you don’t want to play with your kids as much as you used to or you find yourself avoiding potentially stressful situations like bath times. These feelings are a sign that you’re experiencing burnout.
We want to encourage you to take care of yourself first and foremost by utilizing the tools of self-care for your body and soul. You can’t care for others if you aren’t caring for yourself. If you feel like you are showing these signs of burnout and it’s becoming unmanageable, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed mental health specialist for help.
