Reducing stress in everyday life: Being a mother during the Covid-19 pandemic

How you can reduce your stress as a mother

Being a mother is wonderful, but let's be honest, it's also demanding. Between various appointments, household chores, preparing healthy meals, and meeting your child's emotional needs, daily life can quickly become packed. If you also work full-time or part-time, boredom is definitely not an option.

 In the midst of a global pandemic, mothers have taken on more tasks than usual, as many must handle additional responsibilities alongside family life. The emotional and psychological burden of managing all the family duties like doctor appointments, shopping, organizing, and checking off the never-ending to-do list can quickly become overwhelming. On top of that, the pandemic's side effects linger: grandparents can't just step in, and restrictions on hobbies and leisure activities must be planned for. And with more time at home with the children, finding time for your own needs seems impossible.

Since moms have little opportunity to prioritize themselves and alone time, they experience more anger and anxiety as a result of the pandemic's effects. According to the "State of the Motherhood Survey" (2020), 74% of mothers have had worse mental health and feel burnt out since the pandemic began.

The same study found that only 32% of mothers are able to find an hour a day for themselves, and only 8% of mothers get eight hours or more of sleep per night. Taking time out for yourself and rest are crucial tools for managing mental health and emotional well-being, which are scarce in motherhood. They often lead to feeling overwhelmed and burnt out, especially with younger and multiple children.

Overwhelm, burnout, and anxiety are emotions that trigger stress responses in the body, such as muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, and faster breathing. These reactions negatively affect physical and mental health, like a weakened immune system and increased irritability. Even if you manage to complete your daily tasks, irritability likely impacts how you respond and your bond with your children.

So what can mothers do to prioritize their own mental health when time for themselves is not readily available?

You can start expanding your definition and practice of self-care with these three simple and effective tips.

1. Stop comparing yourself to other mothers

This tip is not limited to motherhood. Comparing yourself is especially harmful to self-esteem and the parent-child bond. Social media and the stories we hear from friends can give a false impression of how well other women manage everyday life with children. Unfortunately, this often leads to feelings of guilt and self-doubt about one's own abilities. What is often missing in the perfectly staged images on social media is the everyday background. To lessen comparisons, remember that we often only see the beautiful highlights in others' lives.

2. Ask friends and family for help

Don't hesitate to ask for help from friends or family. You can start by identifying 1-2 reliable people to entrust with caring for your children. Think carefully about the areas where you need support and how you can then use the free time for yourself. Recognizing your needs enables you to create a schedule and routine for yourself.

3. Find your calm and connect it with your children

Many of the grounding and meditative activities you want to integrate into your alone time can be done with your children.

If you feel overwhelmed and stressed, ask your children to come to the floor with you and do a two-minute grounding activity or a minute of silence. The more you practice self-care with your children, the better you will be able to regulate your own emotions.

Try to incorporate "quiet time" into your daily routine. Read together with your children, listen to an audio play or music.

Therapy blankets for children and adults can help, which you can easily incorporate into your relaxation rituals. Their weight helps regulate stress and better perceive your own body. In addition, the release of the happiness hormone serotonin and the sleep hormone melatonin is promoted, while the cortisol level (the so-called stress hormone) is lowered.

The result is a euphoric feeling of complete relaxation of the body and nervous system.

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