Hey Mom, is "mom stress"getting to you? It is hard to believe that still so many people think that, "moms don’t have any thing to do – ha ha – so they can’t possible be stressed. It must be in their heads!" Those people have never had children or tried to run a household and have a job too. While raising children and having a home are real joys they can also result in some stressful times. Here are some of the most common stressors for moms and some things you can do about them.

 

  1. Time. There never seems to be enough of it. Moms generally are not time wasters – they can’t afford to be. There is too much to do. Where could you actually carve out a little more time in your day? Could the kids be doing more chores? Could you be bartering with another mom for meals, childcare or some other service? Could you get a teenager to be a mom’s helper? Try to be creative and don’t expect things to be done perfectly by another person. That is ok. Learn that sometimes 80% is good enough. That goes for you too – you do not have to be perfect all of the time!
  2. Finances. This is a big one especially in today’s economy. We are all having to tighten our belts. This is a great time to teach your kinds about money. They need to learn that they can’t have everything and that money is something to be cared for and to be used wisely. This is another time when barter or trade will help you out immensely. Is there something you can do from home to freelance your skills? Don’t underestimate what you have to give. People need everything right now. Check Craigslist for some ideas about what you could offer or sell.
  3. Relationship demands. With so much going on during the day there is hardly any energy or attention left for your spouse. That is a problem because he needs that too as do you. Create some sacred time for each other. I always have had Friday night as date night. You don’t have to go out but arrange for the kids to be doing something while the two of you watch a movie, have some wine or whatever will make you feel like a couple. Relationships take time and effort so don’t neglect yours.
  4. Self-doubt. It is natural for moms to doubt themselves sometimes. After all, nobody taught you how to be a mom, run the household, juggle work and family, do all the things you have to do, etc. It always amazes me that we have no training for the most important job we will have in our lives. No wonder moms doubt themselves at times. Find someone who you think does these things well and use them for a role model. Get in a mom support group if that would help. Just be sure you have a support network of some kind so you can talk things through when you need to. Then don’t doubt just do what you think is right – you will almost always be on target.
  5. Me time. This is the last thing moms make time for and it is one of the most important. If you can’t carve out a chunk of time take mini "me times" throughout the day. Just be really aware that that is what you are doing and let nothing interfere. If you have to, make an appointment with yourself just like you would make an appointment with a doctor or dentist. Do something to relax even if it is just a "head vacation."

Finally, learn to put things into perspective. When we let things seem bigger than they are we let them stress us. Learn to take things in stride and not to let yourself perceive everything as stressful. Keep your humor going – life with children is funny!

Lynn Banis PhD, MCC is known as America’s High Performance Coach. Lynn specializes in helping women in leadership positions or wanting to be in leadership positions make the most of their opportunities and potential. She enjoys helping executives and entrepreneurs create their ultimate impact. Her years of working with small and large businesses has given her a depth of knowledge that is invaluable to her clients both as a business and a life coach. Lynn is the author of two books "The Discovery Journal" and "Discovery Points: A Coaching Guide to Getting Unstuck." Both can be obtained under Lynn’s name at http://www.lulu.com. You can reach her at http://www.discoverypointcoaching.com. Also check out Lynn’s other businesses: Coach Academy Texas, a cutting edge coach training company; and Turnkey Coaching Solutions, a coaching program management and contract coach staffing company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_Banis
http://EzineArticles.com/?Mom-Stress—Is-It-Getting-You-Down?&id=4989425

Be Sociable, Share!