Category: Stress

5 tips to reduce parental burnout

3/8/2021

Since the pandemic last year, stress levels across America have continued to increase. Many families may be experiencing increased stress due to working from home, serving as their kids’ teacher, employment loss, or stress due to significant life changes as a result of COVID-19. High levels of stress for an extended period of time can lead to psychological burnout.

Tips for Reducing Parental Burnout

We all experience stress in our lives at some point. However, for some, engaging in healthy coping strategies can help to reduce burnout. Below are five evidence-based self-care suggestions:

Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a mental state in which an individual focuses on being present in the moment while calmly accepting their thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Psychological studies have demonstrated how mindfulness can help reduce the risk of burnout and mental health difficulties. Considering finding books on mindfulness or using apps that provide tools on engaging in mindfulness.
Avoid rigid thinking patterns. As psychologists, we are aware of the connections between our thinking, mood, and behavior. Research shows that positive thinking can help to reduce burnout. Consider how you approach your day — especially if you are working from home or have kids homeschooling. Given the stress of the pandemic, be mindful of your resources that can help prevent burnout. Determine ways to incorporate breaks in your day and avoid rigid expectations that don’t allow you to give yourself grace. It’s okay if everything doesn’t get done on a particular day.
Maintain physical activity. Engaging in physical activity and exercise can play an important role in stress reduction. Try to include some movement in your day to help prevent burnout. Go for a walk, exercise at home, or incorporate stretch breaks in your day while working from home. Studies have shown that using exercise can play a significant role in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.
Seek social support. Identify your support system to help prevent burnout. For example, it may be helpful to talk with a friend about your favorite tv show, podcast, or a recent movie that you watched. Social support is very important given the limitations with COVID-19 and safely practicing physical distancing. If you feel that you are unable to confide in a close friend or family member, it may also be helpful to consider locating a licensed mental health therapist or psychologist that can help you with identifying strategies to cope with stress.
Take a break and unplug. Given our current society, it can be difficult to step away from technology or the constant news cycle. For some people, it can be a challenge to switch off work after hours — which could increase the risk of burnout. Monitor your intake of news and how much time you spend on technology such as Facebook or Instagram. Although technology can serve as a stress reducer, research also shows that too much use of social media can have negative impacts on mental health.

A version of this post was co-authored by Jasmin S. Searcy-Pate, Ph.D. and Erlanger A. Turner, Ph.D. for Psychology Today.

Coping with the stress of parenting

2/8/2021

Black parents and grandparents are especially vulnerable to the psychological stress associated with daily events that affect their lives [1]. According to some research [1], “assuming these responsibilities in a household where only one parent is present and being the head of the household can be stressful”. Given the potential stress, it is important that Black parents take care of themselves. In this tool kit from the American Psychological Association, tips are offered on racial stress and self-care.

What is Parenting Stress?
Parenting stress has been defined as a negative psychological response due to being a parent or caring for a child as a result of everyday events such as feeding, bathing, or managing behavior problems [2]. Parenting stress may be experienced by all parents, but research has shown that parenting stress can be more severe for parents of children who display difficult and challenging behaviors like hyperactivity, temper tantrums, non-compliance, or conduct problems.

Coping with Parenting Stress

In a previous blog for Psychology Today, 4 tips for managing parenting stress were discussed:

1. Seek professional help
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, seek professional help from a psychologist or licensed mental health professional. Psychologists can be helpful to provide strategies to help you cope with life’s challenges. Additionally, they may be able to provide you with resources to help improve your child’s functioning and decrease problem behaviors that may increase parenting stress.

2. Increase quality time with family
Find ways to do enjoyable activities with you and your family. By spending more quality time together, it improves the parent-child relationship. Furthermore, it is not helpful to overly focus on everything that is not going well in your child’s life. Even though it may be difficult to incorporate extracurricular activities into the family’s schedule, consider being creative by having a family game night or engage in other activities that your child enjoys.

3. Make time for yourself
Many parents of children with special needs or mental health conditions have a hard time taking a break. This may be partly due to the time required to care for your child. However, many also feel they need permission to have some alone time. It is okay to take a break for yourself. It’s actually healthy and more beneficial for you and your child to have some time apart.

4. Use your support systems
It is extremely important to make use of your support systems. Having social support is very helpful to decreasing parenting stress. For example, if extended family is available ask them to provide child care for a few hours during the week so you can engage in self-care. Support systems may also be helpful to provide an avenue for you to talk with others about how they cope with being a parent. It is always good to hear how others have addressed a problem or find that you are not alone.

Written by Erlanger “Earl” Turner, Ph.D.

Sources:
[1] Taylor, J. Y., Washington, O. G., Artinian, N. T., & Lichtenberg, P. (2007). Parental stress among African American parents and grandparents. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 28(4), 373-387.
[2] Barroso, N. E., Mendez, L., Graziano, P. A., & Bagner, D. M. (2018). Parenting stress through the lens of different clinical groups: A systematic review & meta-analysis. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(3), 449-461.

5 tips to reduce parental burnout

Coping with the stress of parenting

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