Let’s face it. Moms have always had it rough, but this year has tested your willpower like never before. There’s the fear of you or your children contracting the coronavirus, the stress of your shrinking budget, the overwhelm of having a full house, and the pressures of an uncertain future that weigh heavily on your mind. Try as you may to be the rock your family depends on, the physical and emotional tensions are starting to show.
You’re tired all the time, you feel pulled in a million different directions, there’s always something that needs your attention, and once again, the things that once brought you happiness have been put on the back burner. Of course, you love your family. You also realize that these are trying times that are beyond your control. You want to be there for them, but the more you dedicate to their well-being, the less you have to invest in yourself.
Maintaining Your Sanity
Chances are, most women feel this way. The undue amount of pressure resulting from the current pandemic has been trying, to say the least. While it’s easy to put yourself at the bottom of the priority list, continuing this way will eventually cause more problems than it’s worth. To be quite honest, you’ll become so physically and emotionally overwhelmed that you won’t be able to be there for your family.
If you’re going to get yourself and your family through this, you must learn how to find balance, peace, and happiness, despite what’s going on in the world. This mini-guide will serve as a great starting point.
It’s Beyond Your Control
You have to remember that none of this is your fault or within your control. The pandemic, mass unemployment, economic crisis, distance learning, food shortages, natural disasters, and civil unrest aren’t your doing. There’s also nothing you can do to single-handedly change it. So, don’t make the mistake of trying to put everything you or your family is going through on your shoulders. Once you realize it’s beyond your control, you’ll feel an immense amount of relief.
You Can’t Do It All
The second point to keep in mind is that you cannot be all things to everyone. Not only are you one person, but you’re not superhuman. Piling all the responsibilities on your plate leaves minimal time to take care of your own needs and, ultimately, your family’s needs. It’s okay to admit that you can’t do it all.
Look over your list of daily tasks and compare it to the hours in a day. If you’re not able to schedule any time for nutritious meals, exercise, your career, passions, interests, and at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep, then you’re doing too much. Evaluate your list and eliminate unnecessary things. Then, talk with your partner, older children, and extended-family about assisting you with other tasks to lighten your load.
Put Self-Care on Overdrive
Your family indeed needs you, but you also need yourself. If you’re going to maintain your sanity during the pandemic, you must be a priority. While your busy schedule might prevent you from dedicating as much time to yourself as you’d like, there are ways to adjust. Put self-care into overdrive by finding small things to boost your mood throughout the day.
You could learn how to make strong coffee and indulge in a fresh cup each morning before waking the kids up. Why not take the first hour of each day to exercise, shower, and complete your skincare routine? If there’s something small that you’d like, treat yourself on occasion. When is the last time you’ve been out with your girlfriends? Schedule a virtual lunch or watch party and catch up.
No one expected this year to turn out the way it did. Though the pandemic has resulted in a lot of stress, tackling it on your own will only fail. The best way to survive these uncertain times is to remember it’s not your fault, you’re not built to do it all, and that you have to remain a priority.