18
Jan

5 Ways To Deal With Boredom As a Millennial Stay at Home Mom

Being a stay-at-home mom is no walk in the park except we are talking about Jurassic park! One of the many challenges we deal with is boredom, and this comes from someone who considers herself a chronic introvert. Give me books, the internet, and food, and I can go days without human interaction, and sometimes, I even feel crowded by my children’s presence.

Unfortunately, even my introverted self can’t save me from the boredom every stay-at-home mom deals with at one point or the other.

The reason why many stay-at-home moms deal with boredom is that our lives can be quite monotonous; we are surrounded by little humans who are often more demanding than giving. We have very few interactions with other adults, and we tend to give so much of ourselves to the family that we can forget to take time to nurture our personal interests.

It is important to learn how to deal with our boredom as a stay at home moms because these feelings often lead to resentment, loneliness, and even bigger mental health issues.

Over the years since I embraced my role as a stay-at-home mom, I have used different mechanisms to deal with my boredom; some failed, and some worked! I will be sharing with you five tips that have stayed the test of time.

  • Shuffle your schedule: As I mentioned above, doing the same thing over and over again is often responsible for a stay home mom’s boredom. Once I started to feel bored, I honored the feeling like a guest who reminded me that it is time for a change. I bust out my planners (stay-at-home moms’ survival tools) and I rearrange my routine for a sense of fresh start.
  • Get out!: As stay-at-home moms, we spend most of our time inside the house, and it sometimes begins to feel like a prison with a fancy bed and sloppy kisses. To be a sane stay-at-home mom, we must get out of the house as much as possible to enjoy the fresh breeze. This can help clear the lungs, improve mental focus + mood, and lower blood pressure among other benefits. You can go for a walk/drive alone to enjoy some quiet time or with your kids to bond.
  • Nurture your hobby: Every human being has a hobby except we choose to ignore it as in the case of many stay-at-home moms. We give so much that we neglect ourselves. We must understand that in order to serve our family wholeheartedly, our cups must constantly be refilled. You can’t give what you don’t have. Examples of hobbies include; reading, writing, volunteering, starting a small business, studying, etc. Anything that gives you joy even if all you got to spare is 20 minutes a day.
  • Create downtime: It could be sneaking into the bedroom for a few minutes, tuning out, reading a book, etc. I have mastered taking a break from my children without leaving them.
  • Join a community: Being a stay at home can be a very lonely journey. I didn’t realize early in my journey how important it was to have a circle of like-minded women who can resonate with my struggles and listen without judgment, when I found such a community, it was a game changer for me.

How do you cope with boredom as a stay-at-home mom? Please do share your experience in the comment below.