Constantly multitasking and exhausted? Therapist reveals 5 practices for mothers to prevent burnout

Mothers often ignore their mental health, which gradually builds up and causes burnout. Know how to protect maternal mental well-being.

Mothers shoulder an enormous amount of responsibility daily. On almost every front, they are constantly multitasking. But this persistent state of always being ‘available,’ whether it is waking up early to prepare tiffins for children, managing a lot of household chores, on the work front negotiating deals with clients or leading meetings, leaves mothers constantly in a state of high overstimulation.

Maternal mental health is important and a few essential habits help to ground them amidst the chaos of daily management of family and work. (Picture credit: Freepik)

They continue to persevere and push through stress, exhaustion and emotional fatigue until it eventually crosses a threshold where their mental and emotional well-being starts getting adversely affected, then it begins to take a massive toll. But much of this burnout is normalised as maternal behaviour. This leads women to take their own mental health for granted. For this reason, it is high time mothers make some time out for themselves and follow a few rituals to unwind and de-stress.

We asked an expert to point out some practices that mothers can follow. Archana Singhal, counsellor and family therapist and founder of Mindwell Counsel, shared with HT Lifestyle some easy and practical habits mothers can incorporate into their daily routines to better manage stress and support their mental well-being.

“Over time, a person may experience emotional fatigue, anxiety, irritation, or burnout from feeling like they must do everything 'right' and from being constantly exposed to digital devices, leaving no time to unwind,” she explained the consequences of enduring and suppressing stress. There is very little time for respite, so mothers need to intentionally create a space and a routine through which they can de-stress.

What are these practices that benefit maternal mental wellness?

Archana shared a brief guide, covering 4 key practices:

1. Gentle morning routine

• Try not to check your cell phone, email, or social media as soon as you wake up.
• These can be a few minutes of silence, stretching, prayer, deep breathing, or a mindful teatime at the beginning of the morning.
• They will help to get the day started in a regulated state of stress.

2. Take time to calm down during the day

• Just 10 minutes of conscious pause can help to ease the overstimulation.
• To reset the mind's workings and calm the mind, stillness, listening to soothing music, fresh air, doing yoga, journal writing, or mindful breathing can be helpful.
• Understand how to seek help without feeling guilty for doing so
• Moms feel obliged to take care of everything, and they end up emotionally burning out.
• Delegation and seeking family (and/or partner) support may help relieve mental overload and help create a balance of emotions.

Yoga helps to ground you. Try this in the morning. (Picture credit: Freepik)

3. Set and adhere to positive emotional boundaries

• Being emotionally available always is easy to do – and it can feel exhausting.
• It is important for moms to feel comfortable in saying ‘no’ to unnecessary commitments, not to over-commit and to put the emphasis on making space for personal time without a sense of guilt.

4. Put first things first for basic self-care and do so on a habitual basis.

• Quality sleep, water and proper nutrition and walking are directly tied to emotional health.
• Without addressing physical needs, there are increased mood swings, increased stress, and fatigue.
• Having good, regular self-care routines can have a significant impact on emotional resilience.

5. Practice self-compassion daily

• Mothers see themselves as failing in their role by not doing ‘enough.’
• Changing negative self-talk to more positive statements and recognising the effort taken can have a positive effect on mental health and emotional confidence.

In the end, it is critical for mothers, who are often guilt-tripped by both societal expectations and internal conditioning, to remember that taking care of themselves both physically and mentally is not selfish.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.