Ping on Slack, email the soccer coach, respond to the PTA WhatsApp, help with homework. It can feel like a never-ending loop. As a working mom, I often feel the pressure of not enough hours in the day. And even at a company like Needed, where time for family is woven into our culture, the sense of overwhelm still finds its way in.
If you are feeling the burnout from workplace stress, you aren't alone, in fact workplace burnout has hit record highs, especially for women, younger workers, and yes, working moms. In fact 65 % percent of working parents report experiencing burn out.
Our constantly on culture actually shows that many worker are feeling the pressure, research from Future Forum found that over 40% of full-time desk workers across six countries say they’re burned out, with the rate up from 38% in May 2021. Women report much higher levels (46%) than men (37%). Gallup.com
Just How Many U.S. Moms Are Working Outside the Home?
Working moms are not the “exception” in the US they’re the norm. Key findings:
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About 71% of American women with children under 18 are in the labor force (which includes working outside the home) National Women's Law Center
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Meanwhile, roughly 29% of mothers with children under 18 are stay-at-home moms; that means a little over two-thirds work outside the home, whether full- or part-time. Institute for Family Studies+1
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Among working mothers, many want more flexibility, part-time schedules, remote work, or hybrid options are often seen as more ideal than full-time, traditional work arrangements. Pew Research Center+1
This factor matters not because mothering isn't hard work and stress for all moms but acknowledging the compounded pressures of work + parenting are widespread. If you’re a mom working outside the home (or trying to find a role), you’re far from alone, and the strain is real.
Why Nutrition, Rest & Exercise Actually Make a Difference (Especially for Moms)
Because burnout isn’t just about what happens at your job, it’s about how your body and mind are managed outside of work hours.
Here’s how good nutrition, adequate rest, and regular exercise can help:
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Nutrition: Eating consistent, balanced meals helps stabilize energy levels, mood, and resilience to stress. Blood sugar crashes, skipping meals, or relying on sugary snacks can intensify feelings of fatigue and make coping harder. For moms, nourishing meals are not self-indulgence, they’re essential fuel. Making sure you aren’t nutritionally depleted is the most foundational thing you can do for yourself.
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Rest & Sleep: Sleep is foundational. When you don’t get enough, or your sleep is broken up (common with small children, night-wakings, etc.), your capacity to regulate mood, think clearly, and handle stress declines sharply. Rest also includes downtime, not just nights, but breaks during the day, moments when you let your mind off the grind.
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Exercise: Movement helps in several ways. It improves mood by releasing endorphins; reduces anxiety; improves sleep; boosts energy; even short bursts, walking, stretching, brief workouts, can make a difference. For moms, fitting in exercise can feel impossible, but even 10-20 minutes a day helps.
Not Just Working Moms. Everyone with Overlapping Roles Feels It
While working mothers are among the hardest hit by burnout (because of the juggling act of job, home, children, caregiving, household tasks), this is not an issue only for them.
Parents in general, caregivers, younger workers, and women in general (including without kids) are experiencing burnout at high rates. The overlapping domains of responsibility of work, home and family can amplify the stress.
What Moms Can Do: Practical Strategies
Here are some ideas to help counter burnout, drawing on research and expert practices:
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Build small routines for rest: Try to carve out periods (even 5-10 minutes) during the day to pause, stretch, take deep breaths, sit quietly without screens. At night, establish wind-down rituals.
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Plan for nutrition: Batch-cook or prep simple healthy meals ahead of time; keep easy snacks accessible so you’re not grabbing what’s fast but unhealthy; keep your hydration up and make sure at the very least you are supporting your body with a robust Multivitamin.
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Move in bits and pieces: Maybe a short walk, dancing with your kids, some stretching in the morning, whatever fits. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s consistency.
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Prioritize sleep: Where possible, share nighttime duties; limit screens before bed; make your sleep environment as restful as possible (dark, cool, comfortable). Even short naps when feasible can help.
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Seek support & boundaries: Ask for help with childcare, household tasks; set limits on work hours; make space in your schedule for self-care and rest, and treat it as non-negotiable.
The Bottom Line
Burnout isn’t just “part of the job.” For many moms, especially those working outside the home, it’s the cumulative impact of many pressures.
Nutrition, rest, exercise, these shouldn’t be optional extras, however the catch 22 of burnout is finding the time to prioritize oneself. However if you are able to make even the smallest changes remember, they’re protective tools that help you keep going without losing yourself.
