The holiday season can bring about lots of cheer, family-time, and the making of many magical memories. But with all the baking, gift-buying, wrapping, and hustle and bustle, you might find yourself feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
Mara Windsor, local Emergency Room doctor, wife, and mother of three, knows the signs of burnout all too well.
After the birth of her third child–who faced several medical complications–while also trying to juggle two other small children, a husband who was in the midst of starting his own business, and a demanding career in healthcare, Windsor said she found herself at her limit.
“I had got to a place in my life where I was burnt out with my life, with being a mother, and my household,” she said.
It was then she got the idea to start a non-profit organization—Living In Fulfilled Enlightenment (L.I.F.E)—which she originally launched with a group of women going through a similar season of life.
“I got my girlfriends together for food and drinks and gave them a presentation about what I wanted to do,” said Windsor. “I was running monthly meetings out of our house on topics such as exercise, nutrition, and relationships. I wanted to increase the awareness that burnout is everywhere—in work, your personal relationship, and I wanted to provide tools and resources to prevent it.”
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Windsor has since transformed L.I.F.E. into an organization that focuses primarily on the burnout of healthcare personnel, but as a busy parent, she still recognizes the stressors that parents face, especially around the holidays.
Every year around October as the holiday season kicks off with Halloween, Windsor said she becomes increasingly aware of the signs and symptoms related to burnout.
“After having kids, I noticed I set up all these expectations for what I wanted the holidays to be like. I would end up doing all of it myself—staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning making everything perfect. I was putting all that pressure on myself and it was giving me anxiety.”
Now, Windsor said she’s a lot more aware about what to look out for and can recognize when she’s reaching a burnout point.
She says symptoms such as anxiety, demotivation, apathy, and fatigue can all be signs of burnout.
Here are 5 tips Windsor says parents can do to avoid hitting burnout, especially during the holiday season:
1. Put Yourself First
“I try to think about what I would tell my child if they were in this situation and that helps me to find a compassionate voice for myself,” said Windsor. “I block off two hours once a week for myself and I can do whatever I want during that time—go for a walk, get a pedicure or manicure, watch a show.”
2. Focus on your Nutrition
Windsor said she gave up splurging on sweets during the holidays because it made her feel miserable. Instead she said focuses on eating healthy, which gives her more energy.
3. Schedule Time for Sleep
“If I’m eating nutritiously and sleeping the right amount, I can manage stress better,” she said.
4. Connect with Nature
“Take a hike or a nice stroll in the neighborhood, walk the dog—you have don’t to ‘hit it hard’ to qualify as exercise, you just have to move your body,” said Windsor.
5. Have Fun
Winsor said it’s important that parents take time to do things that create laughter for both them and their families. “Laughter, fun, and play helps people release oxytocin which helps us recover and rejuvenate.”
Windsor also added that it’s okay for parents to delegate tasks and not be afraid to ask for help when needed. She suggests doing things such as paying for gift-wrapping services, getting pre-cooked holiday meals, or hiring someone to decorate the house for the holidays to help ease the burdens.
“Sometimes we are creating our own stress cycle by saying yes to everything and trying to do everything,” said Windsor. “Now I say no for myself and my family.”
For more information on L.I.F.E., or to help make a donation to the non-profit organization, visit livingenlightenment.life
Monique Seleen is the Editor for RAK. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from ASU and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from GCU. She spent 6 years as a middle school English teacher where she shared her love for writing with her students. Monique and her husband live in Mesa and are excited to become parents for the first time to their baby boy, due in February.
