Single Mom Burnout: so we all know that being a super single mama bear is full of joy and awesome little moments, but it can also leave you frazzled, tearing your hair out, and at the point of no return!
So how do you make sure you’re firing on all cylinders, are rested, happy, and enjoying those precious moments?
In this article today we are going to give you not 10, but 11 proven ways of making sure you recharge your batteries and are beating that single mom burnout!
Let’s start first by looking at the takeaway answer before we delve a little deeper
How do you beat single mom burnout?
● Create a daily routine
● Sleep, sleep, sleep!
● Refuse to multitask
● Plan ahead
● Look after your health
● Learn to say no
● Ask for help
● Limit screen time
● Encourage child independence
● Take a break from your children
So now we’ve seen the short answer, let's take a look at some of the signs of burnout so you can recognize it and make sure you are able to cope with the daily demands of your little prince and princesses.
What are the signs of single mom burnout?
According to experts and a fact commonly known by many life coaches for moms, this group of overstretched women reports higher rates of depression and anxiety symptoms compared with partnered mothers.
So if you are an overwhelmed mom coping with a demanding job and a young family, it’s hardly surprising you may feel some of the following:
● Exhaustion
● Difficulty sleeping
● Tiny things get under your skin
● Struggling to get things done
● Lack of interest
● Feeling the need to nap more frequently
● Lack of energy and feelings of being run down
● Being hard on yourself
● Difficulty concentrating
● Lack of confidence
● General overwhelm
● Feeling resentful about being a parent
● Shouting at your children
● Withdrawing from others
So now we’ve seen some of the ways you might be experiencing single mom burnout, my guess is you can safely tick off a good amount of the above points. Right?
There are lots of ways you can begin to feel the weight of “overwhelm” slip away, and it starts ...with a plan.
Let’s take a look below at some of the ways you can start right now.
Create a daily routine
It’s not only your little ones who love routines. The comfort and regularity of sticking with a routine can help you cope with the most stressful circumstances.
A regular routine that you stick to helps to really plow through the chaos and gives you a sense of control which many single mom life coaches recommend.
Putting pen to paper is more than worth the time it takes you to do it. By outlining an active day plan you can build on the calmness that comes from being on top of your day.
Even if you feel too stressed to even contemplate the next day, creating a simple morning and evening routine will help to ground you and give you a structured plan to follow.
Sleep, sleep, sleep!
When you are suffering from single mom burnout the first thing in your mind as soon as you open your eyes in the morning is most probably literally falling back asleep!
Most single mom life coaches will make sleep a priority for you. So follow their lead and make sure it’s high on your agenda.
That might mean going to bed earlier, getting up later, or snagging a 20-minute nap in the afternoon.
Refuse to multitask
Not only does multitasking make you less effective, but it also makes you less “in the moment” and far less mindful of what you’re doing.
Doing too many things at once is a fast track to burnout. It’s too easy to feel overwhelmed when you’ve packed your day with too many things to achieve.
Although it’s important to find a routine, make sure you are not cramming too much into it. Write your routine down and then prioritize the ‘life or death’ ones. Anything else can wait.
When you have fewer things to do or fewer places to go, you have more time to slow down and recharge.
“Doing too many things at once is a fast track to burnout.”
Plan ahead
We’ve all heard of “mom brain” and believe me. it’s real! Leaving organizing important things to the last minute is a quick route to brain fuzz.
By simply reacting to situations you are on a slippery slope to forgetting the crucial stuff.
It’s easy to know when this is happening as it will get worse as you reach single mom burnout critical levels!
Some simple planning can make sure you confidently go into your day.
“By simply reacting to situations you are on a slippery slope to forgetting the crucial stuff.”
Work on your finances
According to the NCBI, Money is most probably one of the biggest stressors for single moms.
There are many challenges faced by single moms as many single mom life coaches will testify.
Low incomes, poor credit, high debt, and lack of effective child support are some of the major causes.
It’s easy to say, but if you can possibly:
● Start saving
● Pay off your debts
● Learn to budget
● Grow an income
It will really help your stress levels and guard against those anxious feelings which will make a single mom burnout situation much worse.
“Money is most probably one of the biggest stressors for single moms.”
Look after your health
It’s crucially important you do whatever you can to look after your own health.
We all know what happens when mom gets sick. Everything can potentially fall over as it’s you who needs to sail the ship!
Staying on top of your own health is so important to evading single mom burnout.
Looking after your health physically, mentally, and emotionally should be right at the top of your priority list.
Here are some great ways to make sure as a single mom you are fighting fit and ready to take on the world!
● Take regular exercise
● Eat more nutritious foods
Learn to say no
Saying yes to every situation, whether it’s from friends, family or your boss can lead to single mom burnout in no time.
Are you frequently saying yes to the whole world and their requirements? If so, it’s worth taking the time to ponder why.
Usually, we often feel the need to say yes to everything and everyone is because we may feel guilty about not helping or more importantly, we just don’t value ourselves.
In order to be ‘self kind’ and give yourself enough time to enjoy your children and your life as a single parent, learning to say no is a priority.
Make sure you ask for help
Asking for help doesn’t often sit well with any of us, and can be even more challenging for a single mom approaching burnout!
By asking for help it can often feel like we aren’t good enough, haven’t organized ourselves properly, or just simply haven’t got things nailed!
However, it’s worth understanding that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s literally the opposite and means we are in control and understand there are situations we just need a hand with.
Single parenting is a huge task and making sure you draw on any support around you helps you avoid burnout.
Encourage independence
Although it’s tempting to ‘micro-manage’ every step of your child’s waking day, in order to avoid burnout, many mom life coaches and other experts realize that encouraging independence in your children is healthy.
Not only is it crucial in order to avoid overburdened moms, but also for your child’s development.
Letting your child help with chores, for example, may seem like an enormous faff initially, but you will eventually reap the benefits.
Raising an independent child who understands responsibility begins with letting them do things for themselves.
Limit screen time
Some important Pew Research discovered that over half of the kids surveyed reported their parents were often distracted by their own gadgets.
Children learn from you at every opportunity, so seeing their stressed-out single mom retreat into their gadgets too often and the stress that comes with that will be passed on to your kids.
When you are a potentially burnt out single mom, it’s not wise to continually add to your problems by seeing airbrushed super moms hitting your news-feed four seven.
It’s wise to remember many of those social media accounts are most likely marketing to sell a product, or it may not be the real situation they depict.
Take a break
See if a family member would like to have a regular play-date for your child to come over for an hour or two.
Or why not start a babysitting co-op time with other parents at no cost to you.
Look into childcare options that are flexible and affordable. And don't forget your break shouldn't only be used for you to run errands or do chores.
And finally…
I really hope you’ve got some great tips on how to beat those single mom burnout blues and found some ways to relax and give yourself some precious ‘me-time’.
If you are still feeling a little overwhelmed and would appreciate a helping hand from an expert who truly understands what you are feeling right now, then do get in touch and book a FREE 30-minute call.
With over 15 years of experience helping clients overcome mom burnout, I can provide a clear, decisive plan that will help you take control and start on your journey to success.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly Hater has over 15 years of coaching experience along with a B.S. in Health Promotion specialized in Exercise Science.
She specializes in helping clients overcome mom burnout, providing a clear, decisive plan that leads her clients on a path of success. Her clients no longer let mom guilt steal their identity and goals. Moms deserve to be happy and live a fulfilling life. She personally has overcome overwhelming struggles herself. Get the accountability needed to take action. As a mom of two she gets it! BOOK A FREE CALL