Busy moms are often under a lot of stress, and there are several characteristics that can contribute to this. In this article, we'll take a closer look at three of these characteristics: preoccupation with negativity, compulsive perfectionism, and compulsive analysis. Most of us are likely indulging in these obsessive activities that impair our ability to recover from stress and prevent us from enjoying life. Understanding these obstacles is the first step in eliminating the difficulties that arise from excessive stress.
Preoccupation With Negativity
The first trait is a preoccupation with negativity. When we are compulsively negative, we have a propensity to focus on all the bad aspects of the people, places, circumstances, and objects in our MomLife. Is your cup half full or half empty? It better to see life as halfway filled.
We are giving ourselves negative messages if our internal monologue says things like "You can't do this!" or "No one understands!" or "Nothing ever works out." We may be doing this unknowingly, thus it is important to listen into this voice. As a busy mom, it's easy to get caught up in negative thoughts. We may find ourselves worrying about everything from our child's grades to whether we will be able to get dinner on the table on time. This preoccupation with negativity can make us feel stressed and anxious, and can even lead to depression if left unchecked. It may prevent us from experiencing what it's like to view life through a positive perspective and appreciate the beauty in ourselves and others. There is a vast universe out there, filled with happiness and optimistic thinking.
Compulsive Perfectionism
Another characteristic that can contribute to stress in busy moms is compulsive perfectionism. Many moms feel like we have to be perfect in everything we do, whether it's keeping the house clean, preparing healthy meals, or managing our careers. While it's great to strive for excellence, this kind of perfectionism can be exhausting and can lead to burnout. Moreover, when we indulge in obsessive perfectionism, we are preoccupied with doing everything "just right" to the point that we get uneasy. We may find ourselves saying things like, "I must do this correctly or I will fail!" Or, "If I am not successful or accurate, people will be angry or dislike me!" Again, this behavior may be completely out of our awareness, yet it severely hinders our capacity to enjoy ourselves without feeling "tense" and "stressed."
Compulsive Analysis
Finally, let's talk about compulsive analysis. Busy moms often find ourselves analyzing every aspect of our lives, from our children's schedules to our own daily routines. While some thinking and planning can be helpful, too much of it can lead to stress and anxiety. It's important to find a balance between analyzing our life and simply living it. When we are fascinated with studying things, we feel the need to revisit a task or an issue again. We may find ourselves saying things like, "I can't rest until I've thoroughly reviewed, studied, planned, or mastered this!" or "If I relax and let things go without continually reviewing them, bad things will happen!"
Analytical thinking is an admirable quality, but if it's overdone, we will never pause to smell the roses because we will be too busy analyzing everything around us. Understanding this sort of behavior is one of the most significant elements to overcoming stress and gaining perfect control over anxiety.
Overcome These Behaviors
In conclusion, while being a busy mom is certainly a challenging and rewarding experience, it's important to be aware of these characteristics that can contribute to stress. By being mindful of our preoccupation with negativity, compulsive perfectionism, and compulsive analysis, we can take steps to reduce stress in our life and enjoy the time we spend with our family.
Here are some ways to overcome these behaviors:
1. Preoccupation with negativity
- One way to overcome this behavior is to practice gratitude. Take time each day to focus on the things you're thankful for, whether it's a supportive partner, healthy children, or a fulfilling career. Another technique is to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. Instead of dwelling on what could go wrong, focus on what could go right.
2. Compulsive perfectionism
- To overcome this behavior, it's important to recognize that perfection is impossible. Instead, aim for progress and improvement. Set realistic goals and don't be too hard on yourself if you fall short. Another technique is to delegate tasks and ask for help when you need it. Remember, it's okay to ask for help and no one can do it all alone.
3. Compulsive analysis
- To overcome this behavior, try to be present in the moment and enjoy the experience rather than constantly analyzing it. Mindfulness meditation can be helpful to learn to focus on the present moment. Additionally, setting boundaries around work and personal time can help you disconnect and avoid over-analyzing your life.
If you find yourself engaged in any of the mentioned "blocking habits," you may benefit from self-reflection in two ways:
Ask those you know, love, and trust, "Am I pessimistic about the world?", "Do I whine frequently?" and "Am I challenging to be around?" This may be difficult for you to hear, as the truth often hurts. But, the understanding how you can gain from other people's view of you is essential. Embrace their feedback as useful information, and you can grow self-awareness.
Second, maintain a journal to record and establish patterns of "blocking behavior". Even if you dislike writing, you may keep a daily diary or journal with brief entries. The fantastic news is that you'll begin to discover patterns in your behavior that understand exactly what you're doing to prevent yourself from dealing with your anxiety.
After discovering these barriers, we will be able to go into the “healing” step and overcome our stress and anxiety.
Use the MomLife Complete Organization Printables to transform your life and get organized! Having less clutter and more peace and neatness in our homes can reduce a good amount of stress for us.
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Here is what's included:
Planner Pages (8 Pages)
- Daily Schedule
- To-do List
- Weekly Goals
- Weekly Schedule
- Monthly Calendar
- Monthly Goals
- Yearly Plans
- Life Goals
- Chores Chart
- Cleaning Schedule
- Daily Cleaning
- Cleaning Routine
- Meal Planner
- Grocery Shopping List (2 pages)
- Spending Tracker
- Income Tracker
- Includes a 6-page checklist tackling every room in the house.
- Kitchen
- Living Room/ Family Room
- Bathroom
- Bedroom
- Other rooms
- Garage Organization Checklist (2 pages)
- Kitchen Organization Checklist (2 pages)
- Pantry Organization Checklist (2 pages)
- Office Organization Checklist (2 pages)
- Home Project List
- Project Planner
- Project Sketches
- Project Shopping List (2 pages)
- Party Planner
- Holiday Gift List
- Travel Planner
- Travel Itinerary
- Travel Journal
- Vacation Packing List (3 pages)
