What exactly is burnout?
What does it look like?
If you remember my last post. I talked about having guilt of being a bad parent. Well getting burnout doesn’t help that feeling. You can have angry outbursts, increased anxiety, lack of energy, a sense of numbness or hate. I love my children but I have my own sense of burnout.
I really do try to relax and be a better parent. I tell myself I am going to show up and be a super mom but I end up in the epic fail range. Gentle parenting goes out the window the first 20 minutes of the day and my morning coffee turns into a bottle of wine…
In all seriousness though I know I have a lot to learn and work on. It is hard showing up and being creative and entertaining my kids all the time. After my 40 hour work week I have used up all my energy and enthusiasm. Then when I come home it’s like a second job. My daughter has a excel sheet that we use to keep her busy, to minimize distractions and redirect negative behavior. My son can be needy and wild. Everything is “I want” or there is a full fledge metal break down.
It’s hard to find a balance between work, kids, husband, and time for myself. I am envious of the super mom’s. They have their kids in extracurricular activities, meal prep, and they themselves look like queens. I want to know how you can look so on point all the time when I look like hot mess express.
One thing I have learned this year is I need to make more time for myself. My mental health has taken a toll and even though I sometimes feel guilty or selfish for not spending all my time with my family; I have never been happier. I am joyful around my kids and more patient. Every mom and dad needs their own time. They need to find a hobby to get away from the craziness.
Think about ways to make time for yourself to prevent burnt out. What is something you gave up when you had kids?
