If not managed, a mom’s stress can affect her health and happiness. Psychiatrist Judith Orloff offers these tips for combating the stress, worry, fear and anxiety that come from being a supermom and caretaker.
Set limits with emotional vampires. Emotional vampires are people who sap your energy and leave you feeling fatigued, agitated or craving comfort food. Emotional vampires come in all forms, from needy children to unpleasant co-workers. When you’re around people who drain your energy, practice saying no, politely excusing yourself or communicating your limits clearly and calmly.
Stay in the “now.” When you feel yourself being overwhelmed by responsibilities, deadlines and pressures, don’t catastrophize. Instead, keep your mind focused on the present moment.
Use humor to counter frustration. Mothers are great at changing direction. They’re used to making last-minute changes because of a sick child, a snow day or a baby-sitter who doesn’t show. Next time you’re stressed out, find something humorous about your current situation, and write an inner comedy sketch about it.
Evaluate the anxiety. Thoughtfully consider if a real threat exists or if you’re blowing things out of proportion. Go through this mental exercise to bring stressors back into perspective.
Express gratitude. One of the quickest ways to ease stress is to take a breath and make a mental list of five things for which you are grateful. Cultivating positive thoughts has an immediate calming effect on your neurochemistry and will help you relax and unwind.
