How to manage Emotional Exhaustion Recovery as a Mum
Do you need to start doing some emotional exhaustion recovery before you totally burn out, and can’t function for weeks at a time?
This phenomenon is a HUGE problem with almost every single mother I speak to - and that is a lot of mamas!
This post will cover a few simple tips (and quite a few bonus ideas) that you can do to start your emotional exhaustion recovery, even as a busy mum.
Many mums are experiencing mum burnout symptoms, and this is the extreme result of emotional exhaustion and the overwhelming mental labor we experience as everyday mums. Find out how to start your emotional healing journey today with these 3 tips! #positiveparenting #emotionalexhaustion #emotionalhealing #motherhood
How to Manage Emotional Exhaustion Recovery as a Busy Mum
Something that goes without saying, before we cover these 3 tips (and #3 is THE most important, for me), is that we also need to be aware of mental health situations, of getting ourselves checked for bodily functions such as hormones, thyroid, liver function, magnesium levels, gut health, and vitamin levels generally, too.
Gut health and overall physical health can and does have a huge effect on our systems, including our mental health. So while these tips will help, please be aware that the onus is on you to gradually work through anything you can think of, before deciding that ‘nothing will work anyway’.
Be Aware that emotional exhaustion recovery is NOT a 2-day reset-and-forget situation.
It’s incredibly key that you remember that you didn’t get into this state in 2 days - nor should you be able to get ‘out of it’ in 2 days. If you feel so much better after a couple of good nights’ sleep, that’s one thing. However, if you are truly emotionally exhausted, you are probably feeling it in every moment of every day - and it doesn’t feel like it gets much better at all.
A huge, giant part of being aware of this, is to see the small benefits and ‘wins’ as you go along. It’s crucial that we celebrate wins as we move forward, as this contributes to what I call ‘the success-motivation cycle’, meaning we experience success and then are motivated to continue pushing ourselves along, because we are seeing results. This is one reason why I often have my clients rate their mental health or emotional health out of ten before we get started in a session - because often we get better so gradually that we don’t even notice - and then don’t try quite as hard.
Celebrate your wins - and extend some self compassion to yourself! You are doing better than if you weren’t doing anything to improve yourself at all, right?
Dopamine might feel good (and it is), but dopamine from screens is not necessarily good.
I know, I know. Nobody who is literally getting all your social interaction and mental stimulation from your phone, especially if you are a stay at home mum, wants to be told that they need to reduce this.
It literally feels like your ‘survival tool’, right? And your escape hatch, and so on. I completely understand - because this was me, and sometimes still is.
But, we want to be aware that our phones can (and do) create an addiction, and this can lead to really interesting (read: shocking) consequences in our brains. So, join a screen detox with me and let’s stick to 2 hours per day of screens in total (unless it’s your workspace, this is obviously a little harder).
Women have always, until our generation, survived without a screen in their hand. Let’s get intentional, imaginative and inspired - and teach our kids that we can survive without a phone permanently attached - and therefore they can, too.
Why is this helpful for emotional exhaustion recovery?
Because a major cause of the current level of emotional exhaustion sweeping the mothers of the Western world, is information and expectation overload. And what does social media totally play into, on many levels? Both of those. Facebook is showing us a constant stream of news, informative ads, content (like this, right now), and also, there is the constant, subconscious comparison we constantly make between ourselves and Mrs. Kardashian (or a friend) on the socials, too. Neither of these are helpful, and if our children were taking in too much of this, we would stop them - for their own good. So, we need to stop ourselves for the same reason - or it IS an addiction.
Create small habits that don’t require (much) brain effort to maintain.
In other words, don’t create some hectic new menu that you have to food-prep for; don’t tell yourself you have to drink 3L of water every day and go for a walk once per day and spend an hour meditating. It’s too much! Emotional Exhaustion recovery is all about being gentle with yourself, being able to do what feels right, and also push yourself just a little bit when you need it. It’s also about having patience with yourself - and this is one of the hardest things of all.
When establishing new habits, aim for simplicity.
Instead of overwhelming yourself with a complex routine, start with small, manageable changes. For example, you might add a glass of water before your morning coffee, or take a few deep breaths and drop your shoulders when you feel stressed. These minor adjustments can be easier to maintain and can significantly impact your emotional well-being.
Consider habit stacking, a concept from James Clear's book Atomic Habits, where you build a new habit on top of an existing one. For instance, if you already have a morning coffee routine, add a healthy habit like drinking a glass of water before your coffee.
Don’t let your emotional exhaustion lead to burnout - and work on it in very ‘tiny bites’, right now!
Emotional exhaustion recovery is a gradual process that requires patience and self-kindness. Remember, it’s not about achieving instant results but about making small, sustainable changes that lead to long-term improvement.
If you’re interested in learning more or need support, feel free to visit the Emotional Health Bookings Page here or, if you’re in my area (Geelong/the Bellarine Peninsula, Australia), call the Adaptive Integrated Health Centre to book a space to see me in person!
I also encourage you to listen to and rate my podcast The Mum Wellbeing Podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit from these insights.
Thanks for reading!
Many mums are experiencing mum burnout symptoms, and this is the extreme result of emotional exhaustion and the overwhelming mental labor we experience as everyday mums. Find out how to start your emotional healing journey today with these 3 tips! #positiveparenting #emotionalexhaustion #emotionalhealing #motherhood
