An average parent in the U.S. experiences 4,000 hours of parental burnout. In a survey of 2,000 moms and dads, six and ten parents said that they have these blurry moments and blunders from lack of sleep or rest because they have been too caught up in tending to their family's needs.
At least 35 percent of parents said that they constantly have the "Monday blues" and feel so drained by the middle of the day when there are too many demands, both from work and home. About 58 percent said that even if they drink coffee to energize, they don't feel any different, according to Study Finds.
These are classic cases of parental burnout or when a mother or father's physical energy is so depleted that they lose focus and direction. The burnout archetypes for parents may be classified into four different types.
Are you the overdoer, the overthinker, the overgiver, or the overachiever?
The parent who's an overdoer takes in all tasks and never considers having a break. For this mom or dad, there's too much to accomplish in a day that time should not be wasted with a break or rest.
The overthinker is the parent who cannot stop processing every issue or task to accomplish. They are the types of parents who need to figure everything out, to the point that they are up all night trying to find ways to get things done.
The overgiver is someone who keeps saying yes to everything even if they are running on empty and have nothing to give, so they tend to be more irritable. On the other hand, the overachiever is the parent who gets so much joy and fulfillment from accomplishing something even though they could be driven to exhaustion.
According to Hello, many frazzled parents do not realize that they fall into one or all of these archetypes combined. Some of the most common symptoms of parental burnout include forgetfulness, loss of focus, listlessness, and irritability. In severe cases, the symptoms may turn into depression and anxiety.
Getting out of a parenting fog
The first step to tackling parental burnout is to know what's causing the stress. By identifying the stressors, the parent can work on a healthier approach to tackle the problems one step at a time.
Enlist a support system - from the spouse, another family member, or a friend - if a parent feels overwhelmed. It's alright to tap out and let someone else take over since it does take a village to raise a child. It's normal to count on help from other people.
The experts also advised parents to let go of preconceived notions of perfect parenting because the more they aim to be perfect, the harder it becomes.
"Move away from guilt and make intentional choices you can control," parenting expert Jen McConaghie said in her book "This Time of Mine."
Lastly, parents need to set time for sleep and exercise. They need to incorporate these changes into their life to improve their mental and physical health so that they can care for their family with more energy and motivation.
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