The Mental Load of Trying to Manage It All

To all my moms out there:

Let’s be real—this sh*t is exhausting. I know I’m not the first, nor will I be the last mom to feel completely drained from the mental gymnastics of figuring everything out all the time.

What’s for dinner? Are there clean towels? Is this a cold or RSV or the flu? What bills are due? The who, what, when, and where of everyone’s schedule—not just your own, but your kids’, your family’s, maybe even your partner’s. It’s a lot.

And if you’re working—whether for yourself like I do, remotely for a company, or clocking in somewhere—it’s like having two full-time jobs at the same time. Nobody prepared us for this part of motherhood, this mental load that never seems to let up.

For me, solo parenting and co-parenting make that load even heavier. So if you’re a single mom, let me take a second to say: I see you, girl. The weight of doing it all, being everything for everyone, and still trying to find time to take care of yourself? It’s no joke.

The Overwhelm That Never Powers Down

Motherhood doesn’t come with an “off” switch. There’s no pause button when life gets overwhelming. The house still needs to run, the kids still need to be raised, loved, and tended to, and work still has its demands.

I often think about how luxurious it must feel to not have to plan, think ahead, or constantly make sure everything runs smoothly. But for most of us, that’s not reality.

What is reality, though, is that we can be intentional about carving out time for ourselves. We might not be able to shut off completely, but we can create moments to reset, breathe, and just be.

Finding Pockets of Peace in the Chaos

It doesn’t have to be a weekend getaway (though, wouldn’t that be nice?). It can be:

☕ Sipping your coffee slow in the morning while the kids are eating breakfast—giving yourself permission to just be for a few moments.

🏋🏾‍♀️ An hour-long workout to release some of the built-up tension and let those feel-good endorphins do their thing.

📖 Journaling outside with coffee and a glass of water—my personal favorite. I empty my brain onto the pages every morning. Prayers, gratitude, venting, scheduling, brainstorming—I pour it all out so I have space for the rest of the day.

Making this a daily habit has helped me feel less overwhelmed. It grounds me before my mind unravels completely. And while it’s not foolproof (trust me, some days still feel like a lot), it makes a difference.

Until the day I can afford the true luxury of turning my brain off (LOL), this is what keeps me sane.

If you’re feeling the weight of it all, know this: you’re not alone. And you deserve to carve out time for yourself—even if it’s just a few minutes a day.

Sending you love, strength, and the reminder that you’re doing an amazing job sweetie.

– Coach Joi