Avoiding the Holiday Burnout as a Divorced Parent

By Sheryl Rentz on December 5, 2013

The holidays are an already emotionally charged time of year, but as a single parent, you may be fighting off the blues in the wake of a divorce.  On top of an already hectic schedule, you get to juggle decorating, cooking, finding the perfect gifts, and attending family events in an effort to meet everyone’s holiday expectations.

It’s not surprising, then, that the Christmas season is a time of overwhelming stress for many divorced parents, which can quickly lead to burnout.

Burnout is the physical, emotional, and psychological toll of trying to accomplish too many things at once only to end up with depleted energy.

Signs of burnout include:

• Fatigue
• Chronic anxiety
• Irritability or frequent mood changes
• Chest pains or shortness of breath
• Depression or hopelessness

In order to protect your health and make the holidays more enjoyable for yourself and your children, remember these following tips for reducing the risk of experiencing burnout:

Prioritize – If keeping up with certain traditions detracts from more important things, like simply spending time with your children, you can skip baking hundreds of cookies or decking the house in thousands of lights this year. Focus on the children and emphasize what is important – healthy habits and spending quality time together.

Focus on the Positive – It can be easy to take a trip down memory lane and think about holidays past when you and your ex-spouse celebrated together as a family, but that does not mean that your current holidays cannot be memorable. Remind yourself of the positives of your current situation and share that positivity with your children.

Eat Well – A healthy diet can have a huge impact on your mood and energy. Stick to well-balanced meals that will keep you and your children fueled.

Reach Out – There’s no reason to try to accomplish everything alone. Join forces with friends and family to share in various activities and taking the weight of responsibility off your shoulders. There is no shame in reaching out and asking for help.

If you are struggling to cope with the divorce process in Pennsylvania and have questions about how to get through it smoothly, please call family law attorney Sheryl R. Rentz at (610) 645-0100 for professional insight on your situation.