6 ways to manage stress as a stay-at-home mom

6 ways to manage stress as a stay-at-home mom: stress management tips and ideas for parents overwhelmed with the stress of raising their kids. Read it at gloriousmomblog.com.

I never thought of myself as being an anxious person, or a stressed-out person. However, after having three kids, especially since my middle child has autism, it’s definitely something I struggle with from time to time. In this post here I talk about how God set me free from anxiety, but I still need to practice that freedom. In this post I’m going to share a few techniques I’ve found that help when my kids make me feel like I’m losing my mind. 

#1 Start your day with a quiet time

In this post here I talk about how a daily morning devotional time changed my life. I was not a morning person, but now I’ve discovered that handling the stress of parenting three small kids, one with autism, plus my weak attempts to keep the house clean, plus my side hustles is only doable if I spend time with God in the morning before the kids wake up. It’s my only time during the day where no one needs me. After my kids are in bed, my husband needs me. My body has totally adjusted to this and it’s necessary for me to remain healthy. 

6 ways to manage stress as a stay-at-home mom: read my tips for combating parenting anxiety and finding stress relief while taking care of your kids. Read it at gloriousmomblog.com. #2 Be aware of your stress triggers

There are a few things that I know have potential to stress me out. Being aware of these helps me to either do what I can to prevent them from happening, or to be conscious of what’s going on while they are happening, and do what I need to to defuse the situation. 

One of my triggers is being late, undoubtedly caused by events in my childhood as I am not generally a perfectionist or an organized person. The way that I handle this is by giving myself more than enough time to get myself and the kids ready, and to take deep breaths and manage my vocal stress if we’re getting close to the deadline. 

#3 Utilize mommy time outs

This doesn’t even happen every day, but sometimes when a bunch of things happen at once that threaten to undo my sanity I’ll lock myself in the bathroom for a few minutes. Of course, my kids hate it, and my oldest will make me cards trying to make me feel better, but you need to do what you have to to be a good mommy. 

6 ways to manage stress as a stay-at-home mom: read my tips for combating parenting anxiety and finding stress relief while taking care of your kids. Read it at gloriousmomblog.com. #4 Listen to (worship) music

If you don’t like worship music, you can listen to classical or instrumental to calm you, although what worshiping God does for your spirit is irreplaceable. Some worship artists I recommend are Jesus Culture, United Pursuit, Misty Edwards, Cory Asbury, and Elevation Worship Band. I recommend you have it on as close to constantly as possible. It makes a difference. 

Finding peace in the chaos: a free seven day email prayer and Bible reading devotional for moms struggling with stress and anxiety. Sign up at gloriousmomblog.com. #5 Take a breath during a “mommy moment” and meditate

This is not as extreme as a mommy time out and should happen more frequently. As soon as you discern that things are starting to push you over the anxiety edge, you should pause to pray, no matter what you’re doing. Ask for God’s peace. Thank and worship Him. Focus on His face or the cross. Refocus your energy. Disrupt the build-up of negative emotion. Do this frequently. You may need these meditation moments several times a day. Making them a habit will save you and your family. 

#6 Ditch the detailed planner

This might not work for everyone. I used to plan my days down to the minute. It did help me to be really productive, which makes me happy, but I found that I started stressing about meeting my time goals, which really weren’t that important. So what I do now instead on days when I need to get a lot done is write down my goals. I’ve found that I still get the important stuff done, and I don’t get anxious about the things that don’t matter. 

A prayer for moms: encouragement for moms and stress management tips as well as anxiety tips. Read it at gloriousmomblog.com. I’m on a journey to find peace in the midst of the chaos in my home. People always tell me, “of course you’re going to be stressed out! Look what you’re managing at home!” That’s not good enough for me. I’ve found things that work for me (WHEN I PRACTICE THEM), and I like to share with other moms that struggle with the same thing. I believe God wants us to be at peace even in the middle of the storm, and that He’s given us tools to help. I’m creating a free seven day email prayer and Bible reading devotional for those looking to find “peace in the chaos.” If you want to receive it when it comes out, click the button below. 

6 ways to manage stress as a stay-at-home mom: read my tips for combating parenting anxiety and finding stress relief while taking care of your kids. Read it at gloriousmomblog.com.

8 Replies to “6 ways to manage stress as a stay-at-home mom”

  1. Edie Emory says:

    Great post! I’ve only been a stay-at-home mom for a few months and I’ve found I’m busier and more overwhelmed than ever. There are some great tips here.

    1. Thank you! I’ve worked from home since my first kid was born, so it’s all I’ve known

  2. I don’t think many people realize how stressful being a stay at home mom is. They thing is all naps and playtime but someone has to do the cleaning and cooking and child raising. I love these tips on how to make it a little easier.

    1. Thank you! Yes, those kids require a lot! And they push all our buttons

  3. Thank you for a wonderful post! I am all for stress management and self-care as a mom. It is really a necessity to have some sort of plan when times get hard. Love!

    1. Yes! We need to practice these tips as well. Thanks for reading 😀

  4. Thank you for these tips! I especially like the one about starting your day with quiet time in God’s word. I read the Bible for just a few minutes this morning, prayed, and already have peace for the day (thanks, Jesus). Great advice for us stay-at-home moms!

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