Feeling Overwhelmed This Fall? 7 Gentle Habits Moms Can Start Today

Autumn

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By Peyton Garland, Crosswalk.com

Fall is medicinal when you live in the eastern foothills of Tennessee. Temperatures hover in the upper sixties, leaves burn bright red, and dried cornstalks decorate the country highways. Nature has her gentle way, leaning into such God-ordained change, and her scenery leaves you wistful, nostalgic, and a bit healed from a hot, sticky summer where people and circumstances might have left your heart scorched.

Meanwhile, away from the quiet highways is the ever-present noise of the fall season. Back-to-school time is exciting and exhausting, and, more often than not, most moms feel the weight of burnout long before fall break. Lunches must be made, backpacks packed, sports practices scheduled, carpools organized, etc. Then there are weekend ball tournaments, obligatory bonfires and football parties, church activities, and, before you can catch your breath, it’s Monday again.

Amid all the going, going, going, you, my dear mama, quietly battle the war of mom guilt. You wonder if, in this hectic season, you are not only showing up enough for your family, but showing up well.

This fall, if you’re overwhelmed with the responsibilities of motherhood, consider these seven gentle routines, rooted in grace:

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1. Prioritize Your Morning Hygiene Routine – Start the Day Grounded

I’ve discovered strength in creating a healthy start to my morning. It puts my mind in a position to serve my family better because I’ve already begun my day with a sense of routine and rhythm. This is why it’s so important to prioritize your morning hygiene routine. Whether you’re in the throes of the newborn phase or trying to hustle grumpy teens out the door, you must take care of your body.

Brush your teeth, brush your hair, wash your face, and put on comfortable clothes that make you feel confident and presentable. In the morning, create enough space to sit quietly for a few moments, eat breakfast, and pray.

In a world where “self-care” is a hot-topic debate, its definition swinging from selfishness to necessity, I’d ask that you reframe your thoughts on self-care. It’s less about the culture’s opinion and more about the decision to honor the temple God gave you. How can you best serve your spouse and children if you haven’t equipped your mind, body, and soul with the things you need to enter the day with energy, grace, and patience?

2. Meal Plan – Reduce Stress Before It Starts

Meal prepping can be intense and require that you have all your groceries stock-piled for an entire week, and, let’s be honest, most of us mamas don’t have a whole afternoon to devote to preparing a week’s worth of meals. However, meal planning has been a game-changer for our family. I found a dry-erase meal-planning whiteboard at our local Dollar General for eight dollars and use it to plan the week’s dinners.

My husband travels for work, so there are certain days I know I won’t need to prepare something big. The same might happen for your family if one spouse travels or the kids eat at church before Wednesday’s worship. I note the days my husband won’t be home and allow those to be when my son and I either do leftovers or a simple meal. (A favorite in our house on nights like these is a charcuterie board of sliced meat, cheese, and crackers!) Then, for the days everyone is home, I plan out larger meals, typically listing a meat and at least two sides I plan to prepare.

Preparing in this style allows me to scour the pantry and ensure I don’t already have some of the necessary ingredients. From here, I can make an affordable grocery list for what we need to create dinner. Best of all? No one is panicked at four in the afternoon when the meat wasn’t set out to thaw. And, my favorite, no one is grumbling, “What’s for dinner?!”

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3. Take Intentional Car Rides with Your Husband – Protect Your Marriage

My husband and I quickly found that welcoming a little one into our family was a blessing, but it also took away from our one-on-one conversations. Early on, we learned to buckle our kiddo into his car seat so we could get a coffee at our favorite cafe and take the next twenty or thirty minutes to drive backroads and chat.

In the hectic motherhood seasons, it’s easy for your marriage to fall by the wayside. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience! But to serve your children best, you must place your spouse first, honoring and nurturing your marriage so, in turn, you are creating a healthy haven, a true home, for your children, where they grow in the goodness of God’s grace.

Consider setting time aside for you and your spouse to have one-on-one chats, even if it’s just once a week. Don’t let the conversation be about the kids or what’s happening tomorrow. Let it simply be you two connecting and enjoying one another’s company.

4. Schedule Time with Other Moms – Lean on Your Village

You need mom friends. I don’t care what anyone tells you. Your village matters, and your children need to see the power of community. They need to witness you and your husband leaning on other godly families in the hard times and see you loving and serving your people in their hard times. How can you expect them to entirely depend on God when they see you trying to carry the world’s weight?

If you’re in the younger seasons of motherhood, even if your littles are still rolling around on the floor and drooling, set up play dates with other young mamas. You need to confide in God-fearing women walking through your struggles. And, they might not admit it, but they need you, too. If you’re in the ball tournament season of life, find a mom you can sit with during practice and chat. Bring one another a favorite drink. Share some shade. Enjoy being with a mama who understands this season. If you’re an empty nester, you still need mom friends. You need women who understand this new season and all the challenges of adjusting to a quiet home.

Don’t neglect community, mama. You need it.

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5. Take One Hour per Week Just for Yourself – Rediscover Joy

My therapist recommended I take at least one hour a week just for myself. Whether visiting my favorite plant shop or driving to a quiet parking lot to read a favorite book, I need space to do things I enjoy. Hobbies are often the bits and pieces of us that God uses to showcase His personality. God, too, is a writer, a painter, a dancer, a singer, a planter, and a creator. He loves using creation to cultivate joy, and so should you!

Hobbies need to be healthy in practice and priority, but take some time just once a week to find joy in those unique desires God planted in your heart. Remember, mamas get to have fun, too!

6. Reconcile with a Hectic Prayer Life – Grace Covers You

A healthy prayer routine is essential, but motherhood might look a bit hectic. And that’s okay. Your prayer life can’t always be at eight each morning if you’re nursing a newborn or tending to kiddos battling the stomach bug. On these crazy days, it’s important to remember that God’s grace covers you in the space you’re in. He’s well-attuned to our world and how chaotic it can be. Allow this truth to settle your heart as you reconcile with a prayer life and Bible-reading time, which won’t always be complete with a perfect schedule and decorated journal.

God doesn’t need your schedule to fulfill His purposes in your life and your family’s. He only needs your willing heart.

7. Daily Remind Yourself of the Big Picture – You Were Made for This

It’s easy to get bogged down in your responsibilities as a mama, and it’s even easier to feel unnecessary guilt and shame when you believe you haven’t met the mark. But daily remind yourself that God’s sovereignty is bigger than your failures and that He was intentional when He gave you the children you have. You weren’t chosen by accident. You were chosen with a special purpose. You were made for this, and you can do this—with the grace and love of God and the goodness of godly community.

In this ever-busy season meant for cozy comforts, I pray you take to heart these gentle ways to tend to your mind, body, and soul, recognizing that establishing healthy rhythms for yourself extends to your family. Honor your temple, nurture your marriage, and lean into things that bring you joy. Remember, God’s grace is ever-present, even when you feel overwhelmed, and your children will reap the spiritual blessings of witnessing you freely accept such grace.

I’m rooting for you, mama!