Encouragement for Tired Moms: 5 Ways to Add Joy to Your Life

I discovered a meatball under the china cabinet this morning. We haven’t had meatballs for two weeks. . . . As I scrubbed the floor, I wondered how many tired moms were on hands and knees living out similar moments around the world. I also considered how I might offer encouragement for tired moms who need to know that their pouring out matters.

Ten years ago, I spent my days teaching students with disabilities inside the walls of a respected high school. Each new day brought new challenges and changes in my schedule. My husband and I traveled overseas often. For fun, we regularly took off across the country with our camping gear in the back of the SUV. Life was filled with adventure and possibility.

I remembered the adventures as I scrubbed the dining room table. And my heart mourned the loss of my former life.

I love being a mom – and most days I even prefer full-time parenting to full-time teaching. But some days, the ordinariness catches up with me. Some days, I join my working friends for dinner and envy their lives. I miss socializing with other adults. I crave stretches of uninterrupted quiet time, coffee breaks, and lunch without little hands snatching my food.

Simple Encouragement for Tired Moms: Don’t Despise the Ordinary

Crawling into the kitchen, I was lost in the illusion of someone else’s perfect life. And then he caught me. My two-year-old refuses to let me clean the floors without jumping on my back and riding me like his very own pony.

“Giddy up!” he shouted as I wiped under the kitchen table.

And at that moment, I decided to shrug off the sour attitude and embrace the ordinariness of my life and the thirty-pound cowboy on my back. I decided to make a plan for adding some extra joy to our schedule. You’re here because you could use some encouragement as well. Today, I hope to offer you five simple ways to add joy to your days:

1. Take yourself less seriously.

Too often, I correct my toddler when he climbs on my back to play cowboy. I tell him I need to clean the floor and I can’t be a horsey.

What if, instead of embracing frustration in these moments, I counted them as blessings?

I might slow down to count the small blessings of each ordinary day: daffodils springing through black soil, robins on the lawn, rain pounding softly on the windowpane, and poplar leaves racing across the deck. I encourage you to learn to smile often, laugh at yourself, and take your agenda less seriously. You probably won’t cross every task off the to-do list today. You might find an old meatball under the cabinet. Someone will spill a full cup of milk on the couch. A diaper will blow out at the wrong time.

Ask God to help you laugh.

These moments will become memories, and God is using the spiritual discipline of motherhood to transform you into the image of his Son.

2. Incorporate simple fun.

As I crawled to the couch with my little cowboy on my back, I decided to stop cleaning and play. In no time, we were headed to the woods with a bucket and a net.

We chased moths, toads, and salamanders. We splashed, giggled, and ran through the woods. The playful fun livened our day. We didn’t stay all day, but an hour in the woods changed the atmosphere of the entire day.

I spent years feeling guilty every time I washed dishes instead of playing on the floor with my kids. Most of us have learned that we’re supposed to put people in front of tasks. Every time we fail, we’re afraid we’re chasing an idol.

I believe God has a better Word for us. He asks us to do the work we need to do to serve the people in our lives. And he asks us to do the work with playfulness instead of stress and hurry.

God isn’t calling us to ignore the laundry and let everyone run out of underwear. He is calling us to do the work of our days. But many of us would do well to change our processes. We need to slow down. God is asking us to take breaks and play with our kids. He’s also asking us to do the work with open hearts – loving our little ones while they mess up our piles of laundry and freshly scrubbed floors.

3. Mix up the schedule (as much as you can without disaster).

I thrive on a schedule, but sometimes, the daily routine feels draining. After too many of these days, we pick a day to completely mix things up. We head to visit a friend for the morning, spend a day with my parents, or drive north to Lake Erie for a day. I make sure there’s an appropriate place for a nap (the car seat works), and we enjoy a change in schedule.

What change could you add to your week to infuse a dose of joy? I encourage you to find even an hour for pursuing a whimsical interruption this week.

4. Remember this is a season.

When our first child came home from the hospital, I thought I’d never brush my teeth without a baby in my arms again. I thought the newborn stage would last forever. I couldn’t imagine life becoming easier. But it did.

Our daughter is now approaching her seventh birthday. The few months of carrying her everywhere are long gone. This season of parenting little ones will go fast. We honor the season when we don’t wish it away and keep it in perspective. This is just a short stretch of our long lives.

This season of parenting little ones will go fast. We honor the season when we don’t wish it away and keep it in perspective. This is just a short stretch of our long lives. #TiredMom #ParentingQuotes Click To Tweet

5. Find a community.

I used to think that since I was a young mom, I needed to join a mom’s group. I tried several, but none of them were a great fit. Finally, I decided to embrace the community I already had. I was intentional to invite my friends for coffee regularly. I started hosting book clubs and study groups in my home. We had potlucks with neighbors, and I joined online blogging communities.

Whether it’s a group of moms, a group of friends, or even an online community, we all need a place to share life with others. Stepping into a community is nothing short of revitalizing.

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I haven’t mastered the art of enjoying every moment of my life as a full-time mom. I’m not sure it’s possible to enjoy every moment of any occupation. But I am taking small steps in the direction of the life I want to live. And we are making progress – one day at a time.

A Free Devotional Book With Encouragement for Tired Moms:

Lastly, I have a gift for you. Would you like to connect with God in ways that breathe fresh life into your weary soul? The Weary Woman’s 20-Day Devotional is my free online devotional to help you connect with God in your worn and weary seasons. You will find 20 daily readings to help you find refreshment in God’s presence. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today!