Prayer Breathing, a Gratitude Journal, and Time Outs Aloneare all great ways to take control of Anxiety in Motherhood. Today’s Way to Deal with Anxiety in Motherhood is:
Time in Together
As great as it is to get out on your own every now and then, sometimes what we really need is to stay home for a day. Not to say that getting involved in activities is always a bad thing. In fact, it can help to get everyone out of the house at least once each day for a change of scenery and to establish reliable routines. Yet, getting over involved leads to overwhelm, more anxiety, and ends in an ugly and terrible burnout that hurts you and your family.
In fact, for me, getting too busy is one of my biggest anxiety triggers. There’s so much pressure on mothers to do everything and be everything to everyone (except ourselves) all the time and I fall into that trap time after time. I often run full speed into a brick wall before I realize that I’m trying to do too much all at the same time.
There are many good ideas for how to “be a good mother” but that doesn’t mean we have to try and live out all of those ideas all at the same time. There’s nothing wrong with just doing one thing at a time. In fact, studies and experience has shown that even while moms can multitask, it doesn’t mean we can always do it all well. Something ends up suffering – and it’s usually us which, in turn, means our family suffers right along with us.
If and when you find yourself running on fumes and feel like all you want to do is stay home under your covers all day – maybe you should. Or, at least maybe you should stay home for the day and just be a family together.
- Make breakfast or a fun snack together – this could be as simple as spreading butter on bread so don’t over think or fantasize this!
- Curl up on the couch, or on a blanket outside if it’s nice, and read books together, or watch a fun family movie together. (Psst, it’s ok if you fall asleep, you’re still with them.)
- Or, give the kids a project to work on or set them loose outside while you work on catching up in the house. You’ll feel so accomplished when you finally file those papers, find your kitchen counters again, and get all the piles of laundry off the floor and in their respective closets and drawers.
- Take time to write out all yours and your family’s commitments and activities. Pray about it and honestly decide if you really have to do all of them right now. If not, prayerfully and honestly decide what can be paused, postponed, or cut out all together.
- Remember, your primary responsibility is simple: Love your family. All your kids really want from you – is you. Instead of trying to do all sorts of things for them – simply be with your family more.
What do you like to do together with your family?
