I don’t care how close you are to Supermom Goddess Status, you can’t actually “do it all”. Yet so many moms are plagued with “mommy burnout” trying desperately to do so. I hear story after story about how stressed moms are, but I don’t hear too many of us asking for help. If we do get help, it seems we’re almost ashamed to admit it – as if it’s a sign of failure as a mom, wife and woman.
For YEARS I ran myself into the ground as I juggled a demanding full-time career, pregnancy, babies, birthday parties, groceries, laundry, more babies and kids’ sporting events.
Mommy burnout was in full-force. Things were falling through the cracks and I was exhausted.
Until finally, I waved the white flag – I couldn’t do it anymore. It was time to make some changes. Time to ask for help. It wasn’t easy at first, and I still sometimes feel a twinge of guilt and shame. Even as I write this I’m a little nervous about what you will think of me – that you will look down on me for asking for, and getting, help. But I know that the vast majority of us are feeling like there is just too much to do and not enough time to do it. That the expectations we set for ourselves (and each other) are far too high and unrealistic given the responsibilities and obligations we are facing every day. To you, burnt out mom, I give you this list.
Here are the outsourcing services that have been true life-savers for me. These have dramatically reduced my anxiety and stress, and have given me back precious time to focus on what really matters to me and, in general, stopped me from being a burnt out mom.
House Cleaning
I’m going to call this the gateway drug to mommy outsourcing and the Tylenol equivalent to mommy burnout! This should be the first thing on your list mamas. Each week I have my home scrubbed, vacuumed and polished top to bottom. It’s my favorite day of the week! It’s amazing how good I feel when I walk into my clean home. Even if you can only afford to it once a month, do it. Budget it in. I use to think that a cleaning service was only for the wealthy until I actually looked into it. Yes, some services are significantly more money, charging upwards of $300-$400 for a cleaning session. But I found a solo-preneur who does a wonderful job at a rate our budget can handle (Jo-ann at Clean Thumb/Green Thumb, 207.651.5034). I also know some other moms who have had a great experience with Pearsall Clean.
Cost: Varies depending on size of house, service desired and company used. I pay roughly $100/week.
Grocery Pick Up
If you live on the seacoast and your local Hannaford grocery store offers “to-go” service and you’re not using it, do you even grocery shop?! Hands down a God-send for anyone with a busy schedule and a fear of grocery store toddler melt downs. Before the to-go service I didn’t shop Hannaford but the service is so invaluable to me that I switched brands and stores to accommodate. You can save grocery lists with your frequently purchased items and schedule a pick up time that works for you.
Cost of service: $3-$5 per pick up depending on size of order.
Travel Agent
Here’s another myth dispelled – travel agents are not just for the rich and 
famous! We just booked our extended family vacation to Disney World through a travel agent out of Newmarket. I had never dealt with an agent before and was planning to organize the trip myself as I have always done so for past vacations. But after talking with another mom who used a travel agent for her Disney trip, I was intrigued.
Then, as if through serendipity, later that day a woman posted on Facebook that she was a local travel agent. I reached out and I am SO GLAD I did! She sent me a brief questionnaire to fill out about what I was thinking for the vacation and we went from there. She was incredibly helpful, offering insights and recommendations along the way. When it came time to book the trip everything was laid out clearly for my entire group (9 of us) and offered payment plan and invoicing options. Not only was the trip planning one less thing I needed to spend time on or worry about, she gave me feedback, ideas and suggestions that I certainly couldn’t have gotten from a travel site like Expedia. You can check out my girl Meg’s travel Facebook page here.
Cost: $0. No direct fee was paid to my agent for her service. She gets paid commissions from the vendors and venues she books through – just like Expedia does. And I for one, would certainly rather that money go in support of a local woman and her small business.
Laundry Service
First comes love (house cleaning) then comes marriage – laundry service! This has been life-changing for me. Seriously life-changing. With three small kids the laundry we generate is overwhelming, at best. And given how little we are home to do laundry between work, sports, and birthday parties, “laundry mountain” was rivaling Mt. Everest! So about a year ago we discovered that Cleary Cleaners will pick up and drop off laundry twice a week at no additional charge.
Wait, what?! I was skeptical at first, thinking this was going to cost a small 
fortune (and never mind the thought of strangers seeing my underwear!). But we gave it a try for a month. Holy moly mamas! I can’t express to you enough how much this service has lowered my anxiety and made our home run smoother – no more digging through clean (or dirty) laundry piles to find that sport jersey or leotard. Laundry mountain was finally conquered! Goodbye mommy burnout!
Cost: Varies significantly depending on amount and type of items being laundered. I would estimate the average family pays $200-$400 a month.
