STRESS, BURNOUT & FATIGUE THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY

Stress, burnout, and fatigue are so common for Mums these days. How many Mums do you know that just feel exhausted, all the time? You’re constantly busy, kids have so many activities these days, and guess who’s organising everyone and getting them there? Uh-huh, that’s you, Mama. No wonder you’re exhausted, you do the work of about 5 full-time jobs at once.

Think back to when you were a kid. What did you do after school or on the weekend? I played some sports, but after school, I caught the bus home and helped with chores and doing my homework while Mum was at work.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO TO CHANGE THE SITUATION?

It takes time, persistence, and bloody hard work to change the inequity at home. Our society is such that we are islands in the stream. Many of us live away from family who could help us out. Or your family all work too, so can’t be there to help out like mothers helped their children in generations past.

Many of you will feel that it isn’t worth the time and effort to try and change things at home. I understand it’s overwhelming and exhausting and it can impact relationships. So if you can’t change all of the things you need to do (perhaps there are some you can relegate, delegate, or delete), then let’s work on you and support and nourish your body to help it cope. If you’d like to read more about boundaries, please check out this blog.

BECAUSE YOU’RE WORTH IT

There was a time when I felt bad spending money on myself. I thought to be a great Mum I had to put myself last. Sad, right? But I know I’m not alone in thinking like that. I bet most of you reading this blog have been conditioned to think this way. Sometimes we just don’t realise the thought is in the back of our mind until someone mentions it.

When I got really, really sick from burnout and chronic stress, I realised that everyone in our home suffered when I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and irritated. Hmmmm. What about in your house? Same deal? When Mama is looked after and her emotional, physical, and mental needs are met, everyone thrives. You’re not meant to just survive. You deserve to thrive.

STRESS, BURNOUT, FATIGUE & YOUR DAY

Have you thought about how stress, burnout, and fatigue change your day? maybe not, because often the symptoms and side effects are insidious. They creep up on us slowly, and then it feels like they’ve just always been there.

Or, everyone tells you it’s normal to feel this way. Because you’re a Mum. No, no, no. Feeling like sh*t isn’t normal. Might be really, really common.  But it’s definitely not normal just because you’re a Mum.

Have a look at the infographic below and see how many changes you’re noticing in your day from exhaustion.

HOW STRESS, BURNOUT, AND FATIGUE CHANGED MY DAYS

When I was at my lowest point (physically, mentally, and emotionally) my days looked something like this:

1. Alarm goes off at 7 am. (There’s no way I can wake up on my own!) Feel like I’ve been hit on the head. Brain fog, puffy eyes, sore joints, headache, exhaustion. I’m a wreck.
2. I’d doze until kids wouldn’t let me anymore. Guess what? Still felt the same, maybe a bit worse even!
3. Drag myself out of bed, and snap at kids. Make coffee. Drink at least 2 cups.
4. No appetite, no breakfast!
5. Madly corral everyone in the car to go to school. We were late. Again. I’d talk angrily at them about why we were late again. Or command silence. My senses were overloaded already.
6. 3 of 4 children were dispensed at school. I’d go home and have a sit-down and another coffee while I tried to summon the motivation to get on with my chores.
7. I’d finally eat brunch. Something high in carbs, like toast with peanut butter. It had to be easy, simple & fast by then as my head was starting to get woozy from coffee and no food.
8. I’d feel so tired after eating, that when my youngest would nap, I’d lie down with her too.
9. Get up and I might have something else to eat. I’d try to be ‘good’ and make a green smoothie. Maybe try to think about dinner and get it started.
10. Pick up, kids. We’d all be grouchy and it was best to not talk to each other, really.
11. Home from school, they’d watch iPads or TV, so I could flop about trying to muster motivation and energy to get some stuff done. Kids are reluctant to ask me for anything because the answers are always so grouchy.
12. Must be around 6 pm, because I’m utterly exhausted.
13. Oh hang on, it’s 8 pm, and here’s my second wind! Now I’m getting all the things done while the kids get ready for bed.
14. 10 pm and I’m still up. Should go to bed, but I’m so awake now. Chatting and chipper with my husband. He’s a tradie, so keen for an early night.
15. Husband goes to bed, so I should too. But then I lie there. And lie there. Those coffees and cortisol are catching up with me!
16. Around midnight I finally go to sleep.
17. I wake often. Usually around 2 am, I’ll wake and it takes up to 2 hours to go back to sleep.

DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?

I cringe when I read that. It was such a dark time. Sure I have plenty of stress in my life still these days. I mean I work, run 2 businesses with my husband, and home educate our 4 kids. It’s hectic!

But these days I can protect and nourish my body to help reduce the impact on me long-term. Yes, I’ll feel myself getting a little crabby, maybe my shoulders start becoming ear muffs again. I feel tense, and a bit foggy-headed. But I recognise them for what they are and implement my herbal, nutritional, food, and lifestyle routines and rituals to help reduce the symptoms.

Symptoms are messages from our body that help us understand where there is an imbalance or dysfunction that needs support. Once you feel and acknowledge them, you can implement what works for you to reduce the load on your body. If you’d like to do a quiz to find out what messages (symptoms) your body is sending, then read this blog.

Here are 5 things you can do right now, for $0, to boost your energy.

MY LIFE CHANGED WITH THE SUPPORT OF A NATUROPATH.

I discovered the importance of self-care:

• What we eat,
• The products we use (on our body & in our home)
• How we move our bodies, and
• How do we cope with stress,
• for our physical & mental health.

And I said goodbye to:

• Losing it with my loved ones.
• Feeling cranky, irritated, and annoyed.
• That 3 pm energy slump.
• Brain fog, forgetfulness, and poor concentration.
• Restless, unrefreshing sleep.
• Dragging myself out of bed in the morning.
• Feeling like a zombie, and walking through mud each day.

I want to share what I’ve learned with other Mums like you. So you don’t have to go through what I’ve been through.

NEED HELP TO COPE WITH STRESS, BURNOUT & FATIGUE?

I get it – if you’re feeling overwhelmed all the time, the last thing you need is more to-do's on your list. That’s why I’m here to help you ditch the struggle and rediscover peace (even when life gets chaotic!)

The best part is that you only need to do one thing – book in for a free discovery call today, and we can explore how I can help you to support and nourish yourself – mind, body, and spirit.

Remember, motherhood isn’t something that you just have to survive. You can thrive. Things can change with the right support by your side.