MIND, BODY & SPIRIT A Busy Mom's Guide to Overcoming Mental Exhaustion

By Laci Swann

Have you ever ignored the signs of mental exhaustion because you were trying to keep all the agenda items (kids, work, school, house) afloat? Well, I am here to tell you that as a busy mom of two children, wife, doctoral student, entrepreneur, editor and intern, I wear way too many hats it seems…..I wanted to share some of my own tips for wellness and resilience. If you are a busy lady or mother like me, you will be able to relate.

Good mental health helps us cope with stress, often leads to success in our professional lives, fills our energy cup, and helps us to establish and maintain solid relationships.

But what about poor mental health?

Poor mental health looks like excessive fear, extreme negative feelings, debilitating lows, withdrawal from loved ones, and constant tiredness beyond the physical.

Oh, the exhaustion that accompanies poor mental health. Heavy sigh.

That may look like days in bed, and not the type of days we long for where we happily binge watch a new series with our favorite snacks in hand. That may look like missed deadlines, lack of appetite, fatigue, or nervousness.

Are those feelings familiar?

They certainly stared me in the face more times than I could count.

Thanks to professional resources and continual deep dives into self-exploration, I’ve learned to minimize or eliminate those feelings.

At Tallahassee Woman Magazine, we do not gatekeep. In fact, we embrace opportunities to share tips, insight, and wisdom, and I hope this wisdom helps you to help yourself. Small steps often feel less overwhelming, and these three steps provide relief in my life during moments of emotional exhaustion.

THREE-STEP PROCESS TO IMPROVE EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION:

1. Recognize your stressors: For this initial step, honesty is key. You must identify the stressors in your life. If you opt to avoid acknowledging your stressors, you cannot treat them, reduce them, or eliminate them.

2. Nurture your health: Feed your mind and body in the healthiest of ways - a healthy meal, a quality night’s sleep, and positive thoughts. After all, to relieve yourself of stress, you must choose a healthy routine as opposed to a destructive path. Your physical health has a direct effect on your emotional health. This is something you can control. Lean into it.

3. Choose a healthy coping mechanism: Each day may require a different means of copying Try deep breaths, moving your body, grounding, time in the sun, talking with a trusted loved one, journaling, or specific moments of mindfulness. Choose one and commit to it. Remain present in this time. Your mind and body will thank you for these moments of relief and, hopefully, a new pattern leading to contentment.

Adopting the above practices does not guarantee you won’t experience moments of stress and exhaustion, but they will increase your peace, self-awareness, resilience, and resistance to emotional exhaustion.