Jenna: The pandemic has been tough on everyone, especially hard hit has been working moms who already were doing too much before COVID and they're burning out in record numbers. More than half of working moms are experiencing symptoms of burnout. According to a recent poll conducted by CNBC and Survey Monkey, even before the pandemic working mothers were 28% more likely to experience burnout than fathers. Now more than ever, the majority of the housework schoolwork and emotional support of children is falling on moms.

Well, 55% of parents surveyed have transitioned to working from home during the pandemic. A majority of them also report that they have to help with childcare so they can't do their jobs. But of those parents working from home without childcare, 56% report having difficulties successfully navigating work and their expanded parenting duties.

In this week's podcast episode I just wanted to summarize something specific to burnout with working moms and moms in general because it is such a specific segment of things and I think moms sometimes are so giving that they really give and give and give and then they're last on the list. And so just really dedicating this episode to what mums can do for themselves and just like kind of like an honoring them, you deserve this. And it's really important for you to take care of yourself so that you can give back that you can't pour from an empty cup. And what I've seen in the past is that they will just want to put everyone first and so they feel really guilty if they are putting themselves before anyone in their family but sometimes this just leads to a really bad situation and the only way to get out of that situation and to fight that burnout is to start giving back to yourself first. So how mums can cope up number one would be be honest. Talk about it with people you trust. Once burnout takes hold, people tend to retreat and isolated reach out to family, friends and counselors. Before that happens.

Seek virtual help from a therapist or support group. Now more than ever, it is easier to get support online and you don't have to worry about maybe you're concerned about being in a small town and feeling private about things you can totally go virtually and pretty independent and anonymous and still get the support you need. So number two, ask for help. Ask your partner for more help with the household chores and parenting tasks. Tap your network of friends and family and seek additional childcare resources. Talk with your manager and co workers about increased flexibility and strategies to manage your workload. You'd be surprised how many managers or coworkers are looking for that feedback from you because it's the number one thing that if you are happy in your career and your job and if your job works for you, your work for your job, I wouldn't feel like you need to bury that deep down.

I think creating that dialogue is the first step to real change in that and creating strategies to overcome that burnout but it's got to happen through asking for help as well. So number two would be to create routines work in life responsibilities have melded together during the pandemic. So especially for those who are working from home or have been working from home. It's important for them to keep against routine that includes both working time and downtime with the family. Sometimes when these things blur together, it just Everything will seem like work and you really have to still take that time for yourself. So number four, schedule me time, tick off those self care boxes. Give yourself time each day to decompress, get away from work or school. screen and move around.

So really important to make sure you get your exercise for mental clarity and just have some time to stimulate your mind to I love doing podcasts or listening to podcasts. Maybe you like reading it could even be something like book club or who knows. whatever tickles your fancy yoga meditation. Get it in here. Make sure you schedule time for yourself. So number five set boundaries. Learn to say no or find alternatives. If you can't set boundaries and communicate what works for you and can't expect anyone else to know these things or intuitively find out it's really important to help people help you. Don't be afraid to ask people for what you need out of a relationship or a work situation. For example, because more often than not people will be really happy that you've told them what is going to help you rather than just continuing to be burnt out and seeing the results of that burn out in that relationship.

Number six mono task instead of multitasking rather than berate yourself for not doing more except that you can't do everything resist the urge to multitask and allow yourself to be present in what you're doing in the moment. Be it spending time with your kids or catching up with a friend or colleague. Sometimes the pressure of trying to get exercise can make things feel worse, or something like that when you're feeling guilty for failing to meet another goal. You need to also give yourself some forgiveness. Forgiveness is really important in all situations because it helps you forward being linked to a negative thing in the past, the negative the past is going to bring you down and hold you in that same spot and keep you coming back to those things again and again so if you don't offer yourself the gift of forgiveness, just like forgiven forgot really that that didn't work out I have a harder time moving wouldn't have guilt, not completing the thing that you've built yourself up that you needed to do. So just reset every day. I will say a really good way to think about it. If things didn't go great the next day, tomorrow and tomorrow.

Don't judge what you should do one day from what didn't happen the next day. Just look at the positive of what can come out of the current situation that you're in. So lowering your expectations can be also another way to do this. Just focus on the basics like getting a good night's sleep, which is way more important than people think it is, going for a short walk or having a few minutes of quiet time is more of restorative methods of self-care. And then a more productive way than cutting yourself down and feeling guilty for not doing things is to celebrate these little wins. So whatever went well keep focusing on that. Keep that momentum going because that is going to be a much more positive mind frame for you than feeling guilty and struggling with the negative things and how to move forward.

So we've researched some essential self tips to try and help with fighting this COVID burnout. Number one will be focused on the physical, pick what's right for your fitness level, take a walk on the block, stretch or do some yoga, take your bike out on a spin, train for 5k walk or fun run and just spend some time in your garden even like mowing the lawn. There's a lot of girls in the studio right now talking about 75 hard, programs that really adaptable to professional lifestyle apparently, from what I've been hearing, and I will link this in the show notes and you can check that one out. It's free. I believe you might offer some inspiration as well. Number two, give your brain a boost.

So write your journal such as something you love or pick up a coloring book, meditate, read maybe the word puzzle or like that, or listen to a podcast, taking a class can be a great thing too or also picking up a new hobby though. You do feel stuck in your job or maybe you're getting and you want to get back into the working but you're not actually sure how and that would be adding a career off of everything. is just going to be such a struggle. And usually, you can take a little enjoyment.

Start the building blocks of saying for example if a classic lash extension course or something if you are interested in beauty or you're going back to school you don't need to take a full course load you can take two courses and a time for me when family or husband or can trade-off with another mom and kind of have some time to yourself and do this kind of course or something to boost your career to give you a little bit more. Stick with your holding balance. So number one be pampered same as this one should be the easiest to do and the most fun to most people. So we're like a hot body getting me on the browser wishes. Sneaking sometimes for me in the studio. I love to put a heated eye mask on if I have a no-show or something and just get a little snooze in there.

There are probably a lot of ways in your day where you could sneak a little nap. Just be prepared and kind of get excited about it. Having it on the backburner of like ooh, if this happens, I'm gonna take a nap then you can just make the best use of this time because sometimes when something unexpected leaves you with a little bit of time you just try and fill it with another chore or something but if you get excited about doing a self-care thing, like just this so simple as taking a nap.

A great way for you to take time during the day. So also give yourself a facial or massage and Kimberly from Sage Sparrow beauty will tag this in the show notes and reels on her Instagram she has like basically how to use how to do all kinds of massage or reflexology with your face so like how to do this at home by yourself. So I would really check out that you know you can do that. If you have 10 or 15 minutes that just check out Instagram on your phone and they can do it anywhere really. So it can be so simple sometimes to find time for yourself. If you're really keeping it in fresh in the back of my mind that these things exist and are easy.

And you have them their programs ready to go when you have five to 10 extra minutes. So number four, find time with your friends. This is maybe not the most natural thing after all this COVID stuff has happened to take time to have lunch at a new restaurant or go on a walk or hike, go window shopping, volunteer with a friend find a book club or a mums group. If you're religious church can be a great thing for you as well. Just try and connect with people having a hard time as a mom finding childcare. Maybe a mum group is the best thing for you or child playgroup can be really good resource even like swimming lessons for your kids can be probably a really good way to find some time for you to hang out with your number five hone your skills up your cooking trying a new and different recipe. So get back into a sport you love take classes or courses of things that you're interested in. All these things are great strategies to refill your cup and have a lot more time to

I can see how motherhood can sometimes often be isolating. But if you're doing it wrong, a better understanding of what burnout is can help you create a plan to move forward. You might be experiencing burnout because you're comparing yourself to other moms, that's not healthy. You have to know that each child is unique and so are the mothers. Mothers seemed to have an inner critic who never it's the most important job after all. So shut up. You're doing a great job. Parenting and work perfection is an unachievable goal, but learning to forgive yourself will help you recover faster from burnout without the guilt.

Remember, the best mother for your children is you! In order to remain the best version of yourself, it’s important to recognize and foster what you need, to remain healthy, connected and happy.