Between cooking, dressing your kids, taking them to school, helping with homework and making sure everyone gets to bed on time, looking after yourself can be a tricky task. Motherhood is all about constantly choosing to put your children’s happiness, needs and wellbeing before your own. This can lead to you feeling drained, anxious, stressed and even depressed. To ensure you can carry on taking the best care of your family, you have to take care of yourself and your own mental health as a mom too.
How to take care of your mental health
- Take some time for yourself every day
Even if it is just ten minutes, take some time to do something that you enjoy. This can be to get a coffee at your favourite coffee shop, taking a hot bath, reading a book or taking a walk.
- Learn to say no
It’s not your job as a mom to be and do everything for everybody. It’s perfectly fine to say no when you don’t have the time for something or to reschedule.
- Find a support group
Having a strong support group is a priority when raising children. Connecting with other moms allows you the opportunity to share your fears and concerns, ask for advice and simply make you feel that you’re not alone.
- Put rituals in place that work for you
Raising children can be overwhelming at times. Having effective rituals in place can help. It can help you to manage your time better and make your children feel more organised and secure.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Things may sometimes feel like it is getting too much. If you feel overwhelmed or stressed, don’t wait to ask for help. When you try to cope on your own for too long, things can quickly spiral out of control.
Realise when life becomes too much
It is important to understand the relationship between responsibility and stress and strive to make changes that reduce the pressure. It is also vital to ask for help if you find that feelings of anxiety and depression are interfering with your ability to handle your day-to-day tasks. Taking care of your mental health as a mom should always be one of your top priorities.