Being a mom is rewarding but exhausting. Being a working mom is even more so. After all, you have to take care of your kids and make sure everything at work goes smoothly. That takes up a lot of time and energy. And when you add depression on top of it all? How can it be possible to cope with all of that at once?
There are ways, of course, but none of them are easy. Depression makes things difficult, and being a working parent takes a lot of energy from you.
But in order to move forward, you have to be able to make this work. They’re basic things for most people. They might be harder for you because of everything that’s currently piled up on your plate.
What’s important is that you find a way to do these things whenever you can. You’ll see how you begin to feel a little better as time goes by.
Don’t Neglect Your Needs
It’s easy to neglect yourself when you’re busy. It’s not like you’re doing it on purpose. Your kids need a hundred things every day, work needs a hundred more, and on top of that, depression makes it very hard to do anything. Even the most basic of tasks becomes exhausting.
And yet, the best way to move forward is to start taking care of yourself.
How many times have you gone to bed without dinner because you were just too tired to eat? How many times have you skipped breakfast or lunch simply because you don’t have the time to sit down and eat? It’s okay if it happens every once in a while. You’re only human, and there’s only so much you can handle at any given time. But these moments add up.
Take good care of your basic needs, and you’ll see how better, how easier things become for you over time.
Schedule Alone Time
This can be extremely difficult when you’re a working parent. After all, you spend most of your time either at work or taking care of your children. By the time you’re alone with nothing to do, you’re either too exhausted to do anything other than sleep, or your depression makes every activity unappealing.
But you need to enrich your life with something. Read a book. Take a hot bath. Listen to music you like. You don’t have to do anything big. You just have to do one activity that makes you feel a little bit better. Sometimes it’s the little things that get us through the day. It’s the little things that make life worth living.
Take Breaks
It’s easy to be overwhelmed as a working parent. You have so much to do. You have so many deadlines. Everything is stressful. And this is when you carve out some space to take a break. It doesn’t have to be very long. Just step into an empty room for five minutes and breathe.
Do that every time you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed. It makes a great difference. You’ll see.
Ask for Help
There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. It doesn’t make you weak. If anything, there’s strength in recognizing you can’t do something alone. If anything, there’s strength in asking for help when you need it.
It doesn’t matter whether you ask your partner, a family member, or your closest friends. All that matters is that you find people to help and support you as you go through this.
And if none of that’s enough, then don’t hesitate to seek out professional help. That’s what counselors are here for. To help you through the toughest of times. Reach out to learn more about depression therapy and how it can help you.