As moms, it is easy to get to the point where our well is dry, and we have nothing left to give to our families. I’ve been there, and want to share some tips for the mom who is burnout and stressed.
There never seems to be enough time to do it all as a mom, so we push ourselves. We struggle to keep our priorities straight while trying to do all kinds of “good” things for our children and husband. Oftentimes we are also serving outside of the family or working from home. In the busyness of life, we fail to take responsibility for our own well-being. We can feel like self-care is selfish and we put it off.
The truth is that when we give and give without taking time to renew our spirit, our well becomes empty and dry. At that point, we have nothing to draw from, and nothing to give.
When Mom Has Nothing Left To Give
How do you know when you’re to that point?
Well, for me there were a couple of pretty obvious signs that I was running on empty. One was the audible sigh that came forth when my family asked me to do something for them. It could be the simplest request, but my fatigue made it seem big to me. The other sign was negative thinking.
I’m such a bad wife and mom.
My kids would have been better off in school.
And the list goes on. When those thoughts came I realized that I had to purposely choose to replace those lies from the devil with the truth of God’s Word. As I struggled with the fatigue and negative thoughts God kept reminding me, “Come to me, and I will give you rest. I will renew your mind, your body, and your spirit.”
He was offering rest to me, but I had to be willing to come to Him and take it. You are able to serve your family much more effectively (and without the sigh!), if your well isn’t totally dry.
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Here are 3 tips for the mom who has nothing left to give:
1. Find a sanctuary
Find a place where you can go to clear your mind, and hear God’s voice daily. Even if you are in the busiest season of motherhood, and can only do this for a few minutes a day, find that place. (Often it’s the bathroom!)
2. Get spiritual food daily
Just like we need food daily for our physical strength, we need sustenance from God’s Word. Again, this doesn’t have to be an hour-long thing. It could be as simple as claiming a verse for the day and carrying that thought and truth with you.
Also, using God’s Word as you teach and train your kids throughout the day helps you to keep His Word in your heart and mind. That often helped me keep my own spirit right on tough parenting days.
3. Slow down to avoid mom burnout
Clear your schedule of some of those extra things that aren’t priorities, and slow down. When you are busy rushing from one activity to another daily, it stresses you and wears you down.
Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes... in You and Your Kids
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I love the way Cary Schmidt explains it:
“We don’t realize we’re TOO busy until something starts to breakdown and even then, we don’t always connect the symptoms with the real cause. For instance, fractured and stressed relationships sometimes have nothing to do with the heart or intent of the individuals, and everything to do with their schedules or level of fatigue.
Bad stuff happens when we get too busy and over-extended:
- Our Walk With God Diminishes
- Our Physical Fatigue Increases
- Our Relationships are Stretched
- Our Health Suffers
Everybody pays when I’m too busy—especially those closest to me.”
Before you get to the point of burnout or let your well run dry, decide to make time for yourself. Choose to go to God daily, and take the rest He offers.
