How Busy Women Can Prevent Burnout

How Busy Women Can Prevent Burnout Stress Management Print How Busy Women Can Prevent Burnout 3 ways to get help without actually asking for it By Lilian Gonsalves, MD, Cleveland Clinic Expert Updated on October 14, 2019 MoMo Productions/Getty Images More in Stress Management Effects on Health Management Techniques Situational Stress Job Stress Household Stress Relationship Stress Women are masters at multitasking. We are caregivers, educators, administrators, housecleaners, accountants, chauffeurs, chefs, maintenance workers, designers, landscapers, and moreâ€"and that’s when we’re not working! Women  juggle so much it’s no wonder we often experience stress and strain. It’s not just a concern for young professionals or single moms. Busyness weighs down w omen in all situations, at all stages of life, and  the effects can be harmful. The Impact of Stress Anxiety and depression are twice as likely to occur in women than in men. When combined with hormonal fluctuationsâ€"whether premenstrual, postpartum or perimenopausalâ€"mood disorders sometimes can become disabling. They can interfere with a woman’s everyday performance, inducing more stress and making mood disorders worse.   So what’s the remedy for overworked women? Asking for help. Sharing the burden and offloading stress is an obvious, and simple, cure. But for many women, it’s easier said than done. How to Know When You’re Too Busy Women have a tendency to take over most, if not all, household and caregiving responsibilities. If thats true of you, ask yourself why. Maybe it’s because you were raised in a family where women had traditional roles. Maybe it’s because you like to maintain control. Maybe it’s because you think no one else can do things as well as you canâ€"or to your liking. Whatever the root cause, doing everything all the time can sprout irritability, hostility, and anger. It can  cause  insomnia and fatigue, as well as  an overall lack of motivation and loss of joy. These are signs of burnout. When you ignore the signs, burnout can put a strain on relationshipsâ€"with those you live with, such as your spouse and children, and with those you don’t, such as friends and coworkers. Effective Ways to Avoid Burnout To stay healthy mentally, physically, and relationally, overworked women should learn to delegate responsibilities. Sharing the load can help  relieve the stress. But if delegating isn’t your thing or if asking for help is uncomfortable, don’t ignore the problem. Here are three ways to get the help you need without actually asking for it: Stop saying “yes” to everything.  Recognize that you do a lot of “invisible labor”â€"the things no one realizes: coordinating carpools, straightening throw pillows, folding underwear, and wiping away every stray crumb on the counter. You need to learn to say “no” to some of this unrecognized and perhaps unnecessary work. If you say “yes” to everything and everyone, you say “no” to yourself.Schedule time for yourself.  Just as you schedule medical appointments, personal care, and other activities for your family members, do the same for yourself. Women often make themselves last priority. Schedule time for exercise and personal interests, and try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.Let go of unreasonable standards.  Accept that no one can do it all. When others do step in to help, show them appreciation  rather than criticism. Let your kids make their beds their  own way. Don’t rearrange cupboards when someone else puts the dishes away. Thank your hus band for shopping for groceries, even if he didn’t buy the items exactly as you would. Getting Help Isn’t a Sign of Weakness A busy life can still be a balanced life. But you can’t do everything on your own. If you want to feel good and function at your best, get helpâ€"or at least welcome it when it’s offered. Getting help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s the sign of a masterful multitasker. Dr. Gonsalves is a psychiatrist in Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Behavioral Health. She specializes in mood disorders in women.