11 Life Changing Stress Management Tips for Working Moms (2023)

FAQs

How do working mothers reduce stress? ›

For adults, Maness suggests the “5 A's” in order to deal with stress and anxiety. The A's stand for Avoid, Alter, Accept, Adapt, and Assert. “Avoid alcohol and drugs,” suggests Maness, “Alter your schedule so you have time to eat healthy, exercise, relax and sleep.

Moms Face Burnout and Professional Impact

Working moms also face challenges in terms of their mental health and careers. According to the McKinsey study, more women than men report exhaustion, burnout and pressure to work more.

Signs and symptoms of working mom burnout

* You would not be able to do tasks and complete commitments. * Feeling irritated about things and people. * Physical and mental exhaustion. * Not getting proper sleep or insomnia. * Don't want to do things that once you enjoyed doing.

Fortunately, several evidence-based strategies can help you reduce stress and improve your overall psychological well-being. Exercise, mindfulness, spending time with a pet, minimizing screen time, and getting outside more often are all effective methods.

It is scientifically valid and reliable and based on a 4C's framework, which measures key components of mental toughness - Control, Commitment, Challenge and Confidence.

What are the 7 steps in managing stress? ›

Symptoms of Mommy Burnout

Extreme mental fatigue or physical exhaustion. Being “short tempered” Feeling emotionally depleted. Feeling disconnected or isolated from others, including one's children.

Generally speaking, mom burnout is caused by mothers who just have way too much on their plates and not enough time for self-care. Being a mom is a full time job with high demands.

It could be because of dual role and responsibilities at work & home, guilt for not spending time with family and missing the bond with children. They have to Combat unrealistic expectations of being a perfect employee vs being a perfect parent.

It's no wonder then that research finds that the hardest years of parenting are the tween, (or middle school if you're in the USA) years. They may be less physically exhausting than the early years, but emotionally they are so much more exhausting.

Follow the 3-3-3 rule.

Look around you and name three things you see. Then, name three sounds you hear. Finally, move three parts of your body — your ankle, fingers, or arm.

Does crying relieve stress? ›

Many people associate crying with feeling sad and making them feel worse, but in reality, crying can help improve your mood - emotional tears release stress hormones. Your stress level lowers when you cry, which can help you sleep better and strengthen your immune system.

Studies have found many health problems related to stress. Stress seems to worsen or increase the risk of conditions like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma.

Weiten has identified four types of coping strategies: appraisal-focused (adaptive cognitive), problem-focused (adaptive behavioral), emotion-focused, and occupation-focused coping. Billings and Moos added avoidance coping as one of the emotion-focused coping.

The first step in managing stress is recognizing it in your life. Everyone feels stress in a different way. You may get angry or irritable, lose sleep, or have headaches or stomach upset.

Good self-care: Taking care of yourself will help maintain your physical, emotional, and mental reserves to prevent and manage stress. This includes regular sleep, exercise, relaxation, and eating well.

Relax Yourself

Take your mind off your stress and concentrating on breathing and positive thoughts. Dreaming counts, along with meditation, progressive relaxation, exercise, listening to relaxing music, communicating with friends and loved ones, etc.

What is an overstimulated mom? ›

Do you ever feel yourself snapping at your kids or partner when you're not even angry, you're just overwhelmed. That's called overstimulation and it happens when your brain has 50 tabs open and trying to move back and forth is both frustrating and overwhelming.

Forget the terrible twos and prepare for the hateful eights ‒ parents have named age 8 as the most difficult age to parent, according to new research. Eight being the troublesome year likely comes as a surprise to many parents, especially since parents polled found age 6 to be easier than they expected.

As for the official definition of a Unicorn Mom, which can now be found everywhere from T-shirts on Etsy to UrbanDictionary.com, it is as follows: “A mother who's not perfect, enjoys alcohol, has a sense of humor, and couldn't care less what you think.

Dragon mothers are mothers who grieve for children who have died or are terminally ill.

Yet fewer than one-quarter of the working moms surveyed said they get the recommended average night's sleep: seven to nine hours. Over half of them—53%—said they get fewer than six hours. One in six said they don't even get five.

Staying at home with your kids is HARDER than going into work, new study finds. Don't ever underestimate the challenges a stay-at-home mom faces on a daily basis. In fact, new research has found that many people find staying at home with your children HARDER than going into work!

How often should a stay-at-home mom get to kick back and relax? A stay-at-home mom should take a break at least three times a day: once before her kids wake up, once after lunch, and after the kids go to bed. A mom of toddlers or babies should add a mid-morning and mid-afternoon break.

The study further found that hormone levels and blood pressure were 40 per cent higher for full-time working women with two children than among those with no children. Mothers with one child, who were working full time, had 18 per cent higher stress levels than those with no children.

How can I be a stress free mum? ›

Working parents say they feel stressed, tired, rushed and short on quality time with their children, friends, partners or hobbies, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. The survey found something of a stress gap by race and education.

It could be because of dual role and responsibilities at work & home, guilt for not spending time with family and missing the bond with children. They have to Combat unrealistic expectations of being a perfect employee vs being a perfect parent.

Stress for mothers is often found in multiple and intersecting categories, including how little time moms have for themselves, shouldering the logistical demands of a household, and often being the family point person for family decisions, big and small. Moms may also struggle with working from home, lack of childcare ...

WASHINGTON—Mothers with jobs tend to be healthier and happier than moms who stay at home during their children's infancy and pre-school years, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.

What does mom burnout feel like? ›

Symptoms of Mommy Burnout

Extreme mental fatigue or physical exhaustion. Being “short tempered” Feeling emotionally depleted. Feeling disconnected or isolated from others, including one's children.

A working woman is expected to be a good wife and mother before anything else, never mind her professional status or skills. Many women themselves put a premium on being a good mother at the cost of their work or career.