Tired of Being a Good Mother? You Could Be Suffering from Emotional Fatigue - May 2024

Emotional fatigue is a common occurrence among mothers. When a woman gives birth to her baby for the first time, motherhood begins along with all the changes and requirements that come with life as a mother.

Having a baby whose welfare depends entirely on the parents is a demanding task for any new mother.

What is Emotional Fatigue?

Emotional fatigue is a feeling of reduced physical and psychological welfare caused by work. For mothers, the work involved in caring for her children and spouse is a common cause of emotional fatigue. Also known as emotional burnout or emotional exhaustion, it is caused by a long time exposure to work and demand to perform at one’s work.

Symptoms of emotional fatigue vary among individuals and consist of having sleep problems, a short temper, feeling hopeless, memory problems, apathy, appetite changes, concentration problems and depression.

Dealing with tears and tantrums along with taking care of the children’s physical needs as well as household chores and career duties can be draining for any mother. Mental and physical exhaustion are likely to be a part of the first stages of emotional fatigue.

Ways to Manage Emotional Fatigue

There are various ways that mothers can use to manage their own emotional fatigue. The methods are eating a healthy diet, exercise, reduce alcohol intake, having enough sleep, practice mindfulness and simply having sufficient rest. Eating a healthy diet means a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber and protein while avoiding sugar, fried food and processed food.

Doing exercise can help people feel better and take a temporary break from engaging their problems.
Alcohol is a depressant which would lower the mood of its consumers and so avoiding it would help mothers with their emotions.
Having around eight hours of sleep at the same time in daily life is important for emotional health.
Practice being mindful helps mothers to focus themselves on the present rather than being bogged down by the past and future.

Delegation and Accepting Each Other’s Styles

To become emotionally-whole again, mothers can learn to delegate chores with both parents sharing the burden and responsibilities.

As the children grow up, the work intensifies. The responsibilities may be different but the pressure to juggle the kids, housework, a career, a social life and taking care of one self still affects the individual.

Although their spouse may help around with the chores, the burden is still there as usually, it will be the mother who will have to do the planning, worrying and organizing. She may have physical help but not mental or emotional help.

What can she do?

Learn to delegate! For example, the mother can take care of the children and the father can take care of the house chores. Mum needs to accept dad’s house work style and dad has to accept mum’s childcare style. Then switch roles once in a while to help each other.

Learn to outsource tasks if possible. Hire part time cleaners or cater food for dinner. Thus, mothers get to rest and spend her own “me” time once a while. Try listening to guided imagery recordings online or learn how to do self- hypnosis as these tools will help you to relax, recharge and be energized again.

Emotional fatigue is a real and a common phenomenon among mothers. The symptoms are many and vary among individuals. With suitable solutions and changes to lifestyle, mothers can effectively manage this problem.

For more solutions to parental problems, visit Motherhood.com.my.