Does Feeling Overwhelmed as A Working Mom Ever Go Away?

Feeling overwhelmed as a working mom is very common. With so many responsibilities deciding what you can realistically do and what you can delegate or say no to can be overwhelming. Too often you may think you are superwomen so you put on the cap and take on the world. This can only lead to feeling even more overwhelmed as a working mom putting too much on your plate and not knowing what to take off.

Your next question I am sure is, how do you stop feeling overwhelmed as a working mom? The answer is easier than you may have thought.

Eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed as a working mom by taking these simple steps and see how the weight will start lifting off your shoulders and you will begin feeling better about yourself and your family.

• Set realistic expectations – Instead of thinking you can do it all, be realistic in what you can truly achieve in allotted amount of time without jumping through hurdles. Take on only what you know without a shadow of a doubt that you will be able to achieve easily and effortless.
• Learn to say “NO” – You know what your working day looks like and when asked to take on more responsibility than you can possibly handle you need to learn to say “NO”. “No” is a full sentence and does not require explanation. When you give an explanation it gives the other person an opportunity to decide if it was a good excuse or not. It is a two letter word that is so powerful that it will lift the feeling of overwhelmed as a working mom away.
• Decide what you must do and what you can delegate – You do not need to do it all. You may feel that you need to work, clean the house, cook, do laundry, pick up the kids, manage the bills and the list can go on and on. The truth is you can learn to delegate and leverage the strengths of those around you. Get everyone involved. If your children are old enough have them help with the chores. Make cooking, laundry and cleaning the house a family sport. It gives you a chance to connect with each other and you don’t need more hours in the day to get things done. If you can afford to delegate and pay someone outside to do it for you there is another option.
• Avoid H.A.L.T. – H.A.L.T is the epitome of overwhelmed. When you forget to take care of yourself with proper sleep, nourishment and love you wage a war causing you to hit H.A.L.T. (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired) at which time you need to stop everything and listen to your body.
  • When you find yourself “HUNGRY” for food, alcohol, attention, love, affection and make poor choices to fill that need.
  • You may become “ANGRY” with the current situation, people, places or things and misplace your aggression on well-meaning family, friends or co-workers.
  • You may feel “LONELY” thinking you are on your own and no one is there to help.
  • Or “TIRED” and start making poor choices for yourself.  At this point you need to “HALT” or “STOP” everything you are doing and take care of yourself.

You need to take care of your mothers’ daughter so you can be there for everyone else. No longer do you need to feel overwhelmed as a working mom, you can start to let go of what is no longer serving you now.

• Make ample time for sleep – Sleep is not overrated it is a necessity. Be sure to schedule time to get sleep so you will not feel overwhelmed at the end of the day. According to APA’s 2009 Stress in America survey, 47 percent of all adults say they lie awake at night because of stress. Experts recommend going to bed at a regular time each night, striving for at least 7-8 hours of sleep, and if possible, eliminating distractions, such as television and computers from your bedroom.
• Ask for HELP! Take off your Superwomen costume and remember that in the caveman times they said it took a village to raise a child. You do not need to do it alone. It is the strong women that asks to help and elevates the feeling of overwhelmed as a working mom.

Start now, take small steps. Any one of these suggestions will begin to lift the feeling of being overwhelmed as a working mom can go away.