As summer reaches its end, you may think that you have missed your opportunity for a ‘mom-cation,’ however, psychologists are now suggesting that missing out on this could be detrimental to your health.
And while it may seem noble to be selfless and to keep pushing through the burnout – you may end up sabotaging yourself and your family.
In a study carried out by Welch’s Grape Juice, researchers discovered that working moms who have children that are between the age of 5 and 12 work an average of 98 hours per week between their jobs and their kids. If you aren’t a mom, imagine having two very stressful full-time jobs that constantly require overtime and working from home.
Of the women surveyed, the average mom started her day around 6:23 am and was mostly over by 8:30 pm.
And while most mothers may have the idea in their mind that talking a short break is selfish or would in some way harm their family, everyone needs a moment of me-time. Dr. Nava Silton, a psychology professor says that “it’s very important for kids to see that balance that ideally needs to be achieved in a family situation”.
It isn’t selfish to take a moment of self-care, to gather your thoughts and to make sure your mental health in good shape. It benefits those in your care.
“The results of the survey highlight just how demanding the role of mom can be and the non-stop barrage of tasks it consists of,” Casey Lewis, the Health & Nutrition Lead at Welch’s, told Yahoo! News. “Busy moms may identify with the list of ‘lifesavers’, which highlights not just a rigorous workload but a constant requirement to feed and fuel the family, week in and week out.”
And the experts who carried out the study say that this sort of self-care regiment shouldn’t be optional. If you are thinking that you can’t due to time constraints, don’t worry – psychologists have said that even a two-day break could mean all the difference in the world!