Mom burnout; here I come!
It starts with a little sneeze, a runny nose and then full blown fever. The first day is spent firefighting, diagnosing, procuring medications, trying to sneak them in with fruit juices. The second day is full of hugs and clinginess. The third day is when it dawns on you that the last time that you brushed your hair was three days ago. And all of a sudden, everything seems a bit too much. The noises too loud, the light too sharp, the food too hot…. and here comes the burnout. When you have no energy to cope with the demands of a still sick child but the expectations still stay the same. The break that you so heavily crave, is never found. And you are stuck in a loop of medicine, food, sleep, cry and repeat.
If you are lucky, a concerned dad, or grandmother might give you a few hours of relief. These hours seem so precious that you can’t decide what to do in them. Whether to shake up some energy and go to gym, or to shower and relax, or to take a small nap. Most of the times, we end up doing nothing and feeling even worse after wasting that precious time. Here, my attempt to write today might help you. Like you, I am in the same boat. And today I got those few lucky minutes of relief when my husband finally took over and let me sneak out to my room for some moments of peace.
After wasting the first 10 minutes, I knew I was heading for a trap. Hence, I moved myself despite the resistance of my body and mind. Turned off the bright lights, opened the window for fresh air. Spread the mat, and started a few easy stretches. Soon, the lazy stretches and some yoga poses helped me in calming my heartbeat and mind. The healing seemed to have switched on and it felt like an act of self-care. After that, I washed my face and intended to pray a little but was interrupted. The duties of motherhood called, before I was totally ready but that little time to myself help set me back on track. And soon, the day seemed a bit less burdensome. Hope you can also see light on such days and you have got yourself a support system to give you those moments of relief.
