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It can get annoying, irritable, even frustrating at times. But don’t let motherhood get to you. Follow these 5 easy tips to help reduce the everyday mental stress all moms go through. After all, motherhood’s to be enjoyed, not to be fret over.

The motherhood journey is beautiful. Those who tell you otherwise must be lying. Yet, it’s equally hard and no child’s play. Those who don’t tell you this must also be lying.

It’s so easy to let the mental stress of motherhood get to you because not all days are the same. Some days your kids look like angels - absolutely well-behaved, charming beings. And on others, they appear no less than monsters - cranky at small, silly things, fighting, yelling, crying, and overly demanding.

Well, the key lies in striking a fine balance, wherein you can simplify the whole experience for yourself so that you can enjoy it completely. Because, it’s meant to be enjoyed - every single minute of it - in spite of how hard it seems.

Here are some simple-to-follow tips that can help every mom keep her sanity alive and live motherhood the way it’s meant to be. Try these out. I did and they totally work!

5 Everyday Tips To Cope With Mommy Stress

Mom stress is inevitable but not impossible to tackle with. A few mindful strategies in the day and you’re sorted to take up whatever the day brings on.

1. Start your day with some physical activity

I know. The very moment you read this, you’ll be like…really? Where’s the time? Well, let’s make it simple for you then. Just 10 minutes of your morning, how does that sound?

Why is it important? First of all, there’s the very obvious reason of needing to stay fit after having kids. But besides that too, I’m a strong propagator of moms following a fitness regime more for their mental health and happiness.

It could be anything - as simple as head-to-toe body stretches, or yoga (I personally prefer Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar - just 10 minutes of complete body workout), or perhaps meditation.

The last one’s another of my favorites. Just 10 minutes in the morning (before kids wake up) sitting with my eyes closed - deep relaxation, super energy for the whole day, utter clarity in the mind and I’m more productive too.

Not to forget, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and meditation greatly help relax the mind so they make you feel happier from deep within. And moms need to be happy. Agree?

2. Make your kids help out

Trust me, there’s no feeling bad about it. Moms need help all the time, without a doubt. With the husband at work nearly all-day-long, you may not have too many options to count on. You’re going to stay with your kids the whole day. Instead of venting out all the frustration on them, why not involve them in helping you out?

They get something to do (at least they wouldn’t be bothering you with the constant “I’m bored, what should I do?” complaint) and you get help. A win-win for everyone.

Now, it doesn’t matter how old your kids are. Trust me, there must be some work in the house you can easily delegate to even a toddler. Dusting off a coffee table or dining table, for example. It doesn’t have to be perfectly done. Just let them do it. They might just surprise you with the result.

More than anything, it boosts their morale with their mom showing confidence in them to do something of value to her. Yet, it’s actually the older kids who’re going to be of more and real help to you. Start delegating your daily tasks, whatever they can help you with.

Putting in laundry for washing, folding the washed laundry, dusting, setting the table before meals, putting back dishes after eating, cleaning the dining table after meals. It could be anything but it can make your life so much simpler. Try it. I do and it works great for both my kids and me.

And yes, don’t forget to say a thank you and other words of appreciation to your child when they’ve done something. Encourage and appreciate loads. They’d keep coming back for more help!

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3. Write out your to-do tasks

Moms are always multi-tasking and we’re so in the habit of keeping mental notes for the next task to be done while we’re already in the middle of the first one! The result? You’re stressed out. You inevitably feel there’s so much more left to do.

Try keeping a pen and small notepad by your side - preferably at a place that’s easy and handy for you to access at all times. Perhaps the kitchen where you’re more likely to spend most of your time. Each time you remember something to do, write it down.

Also, don’t forget to prioritize that list every day. You don’t have to do all of those tasks at a time every single day. Push the ones that can wait to another day and keep the ones that are the most important for that day.

You can even write dates/days against each of them so you’d know which task needs to be done when. This way, you’d be more organized with your work (not having to remember everything mentally) and less stressed out as well, knowing that there are just as many chores to be done on a particular day.

It’s very important to stop trying to be perfect. Nobody is and you don’t have to be either. The more you strive for perfection, the more stress builds up.

4. Set an everyday meal schedule

“Mom, what’s for lunch?", “What’s cooking for dinner tonight?” - a few expressions that may sometimes push the wrong buttons, especially when you’re tired or drained out after all the housework and homeschooling (in the current situation).

You don’t need to bother yourself every single time with this question. Make an everyday timetable sort of thing for each day in the week - breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can even stick it out on your kitchen wall and don’t forget to let everyone in the family know about it.

Tell your husband and kids of the new meal schedule that you’d be following and stick to it. This way you wouldn’t need to take on the additional burden of thinking what to cook. Of course, you can make changes to this on a monthly basis, if you think you’re getting bored of it.

Also, do remember to make room for everyone’s personal preferences in the schedule - husband’s, kids’, or whoever else stays with you. Do keep some ‘cheat days’ too where the kids are allowed to eat what they like more. But you can pre-write that too in your schedule to save you the mental work.

RELATED: A To-Do List Moms Often Forget To Make

5. Spend guilt-free ‘me time’ in the bathroom

Restroom is what it’s called, and rightly so. We all use it for its right purpose - take time out from kids and family to spend just a few extra minutes with ourselves when we go to pee or take a shower.

Do it without a guilt in your heart. It’s important for your mental peace and calm. You can even lock the door so that your little ones don’t try to open it when they come searching for you the moment you become invisible in the house! What to do? There’s no escaping them in the house and bathroom seems to be the only place, so be it.

Before You Go

Being a mom can be as frustrating and upsetting as it’s beautiful. It’s a part of the whole experience, the entire package. And that’s where the need to shed the mental load arises so you can be happy. Mommies, your happiness is just as important as that of your kids. Remember, only happy moms can raise happy kids.

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