Without a doubt being a mum is the best gift in the world, but sometimes the constant demands of parenthood can be exhausting and overwhelming. 
The sad truth is that once you become a parent you relinquish your inherent right to put yourself first all of the time and this is the sucky part of being a mum.
In order to ensure you don’t burn out and start to resent the precious young souls in your life, you’ve got to cut yourself some slack and make a few changes.
The best thing to do is to accept that this is the way your life has to be right now, but it won’t be like this forever. If you can do this then you’ll be more likely to find some joy in the most mundane things that you do on a daily basis. We can’t all live rock star lives, well not when we’re knee-deep in nappies and washing.
We mums MUST look after ourselves and recharge our souls because we’re the only ones that can!
5 things you can do to stop feeling overwhelmed
1. Slow down
We’ve all heard the adage that life isn’t a race it’s a journey, so take your time and enjoy yours. Stop rushing and faffing about to get to a thousand different places at once in order to keep your kids amused. Figure out what’s really important in life and spend time with your children because the days are long but the years are short.
2. Slow down
No this isn’t a typo or a mistake; you must also slow down mentally and not just physically. Slow down in all aspects of your life and you will actually enjoy having a conversation with your son or daughter about the Minecraft house, village or farm they just painstakingly created!
Tip: Make time to go to your happy place at least once a week, whether it’s the beach, gym, library or shops – ditch the guilt and do it. Take the kids if you have to but just DO IT!
3. Don’t feel obligated to be happy all the time.
It’s simply a myth that you should embrace and adore every second of your life, it’s just not possible. The key is to find a little bit of happiness in everything but also not to feel bad or guilty if you’re feeling ungrateful, you’re not a bad person if you’re not always happy.
4. Pick your battles
In all aspects of life, not just parenting, make a conscious decision to give yourself a few minutes before replying to a question or responding to something negative someone has said or done to you. As for your kids, if they refuse to eat dinner and you’re at your wits’ end, be kind to YOU and feed them toast for tea instead.
5. Stop comparing yourself to others
This is a tough one, especially when it seems everyone else appears to have it all, especially on social media. Remember that most people’s Facebook and Instagram accounts are just highlight reels of their lives, they don’t show you the crap days they have or how messy and chaotic their house is. The comparison trap can be very dangerous and demoralising, don’t do it!
Just remember: You’ve totally got this, look at what you’ve accomplished so far in your life, there is nothing you can’t achieve if you put your heart and soul in to it.
Love the Healthy Mummy team xx
