Avoid Mom Burnout This Holiday Season
A 15-minute practice to feel like a human (not a holiday zombie)
In my years as a mom, I’ve often said to myself,
“Just do some deep breathing and get through this Thanksgiving dinner.”
And sure—deep breathing helped me look normal and not saying anything embarrassing at the table.
But what if you want more than “getting through dinner” without yelling?
What if you want to feel present? To have an actual conversation with your sister instead of nodding along to whatever your brother-in-law said (what was it again?) while handing your kid endless snacks?
This is where holiday burnout begins—with the emotional load under the surface.
The Cause of Holiday Mom Burnout (That Not Enough of Us Talk About)
You believe that if you packed the kids’ bag, laid out the outfits, brought the perfect toys, and prepped all the snacks…
then you’d have a great holiday.
But here’s what I eventually realized through my years of coaching overwhelmed moms:
The late-night spiral before a holiday trip isn’t “stress.”
It’s the weight of unspoken expectations.
The things no one says out loud:
“My sister-in-law will judge me if my kid has a tantrum.”
“What will people think when they see the bags under my eyes?”
“Will my kids look like the sloppy ones in the family photo? Or will they look too nice and people will think I’m too type-A?”
“Will I get judged for caring too much about the food… or not enough?”
These thoughts shape your behavior and emotional state.
They’re what’s going on underneath your yelling or your one-word answers and polite, tight smile at the Chanukah party.
And you don’t need a multi-year therapy process to address them.
Why A 15-Minute Reflection Is Your Secret Weapon
During the holidays, moms need an anti-burnout tool that’s fast, more targeted, and more doable with a kid climbing on their back.
A short, structured reflection helps you:
Name what actually matters to you
Release the expectations that aren’t yours
Mentally prepare for the realities of travel + family dynamics (and the re-entry into regular life after the trip!)
Respond instead of react
Show up as a person, not a project manager
I’ve been using this tool before every trip (and honestly, even before I leave the house for an outing). The guide includes 10 questions, but even answering one in my head as I run out the door helps me show up differently.
The results?
I have meaningful conversations at holiday gatherings instead of running a to-do list through my head the whole time.
Huzzah.
“Wait, You Want Me to Just Ask Myself Questions?”
As a coach who literally asks people questions for a living, I hear this a lot. And maybe you’re thinking it right now.
Here’s the thing. I don’t want you to ask yourself just any questions:
Asking yourself questions is easy.
Asking yourself the right questions is hard.
Some questions—like “What qualities does my mom have that set me off? Let me count the ways”—will send you straight into a pre-holiday spiral.
Fun for January.
Not great for Thanksgiving morning.
Other questions help you feel grounded, confident, and emotionally prepared.
Those are the hand-picked questions in the Mom’s Holiday Anti-Burnout Guide.
Yes, it’s behind a (latte-cost) $7 paywall.
And yes, the value is in the precision.
What Moms Are Experiencing After Using the Guide
In my coaching practice, I’ve seen this tool help moms:
Remove that pit in their stomach before a trip
Stop crowd-sourcing every trip decision in their group chat (or in all-day texts to their husband)
Feel confident in their choices
Stop yelling at their kids
Actually enjoy being around extended family
Have a holiday where they feel like a person – who makes jokes, gossips, and plays games – not an exhausted organizer
It’s simple. It’s fast. And it works.
Try It for Yourself
When you receive the guide, you can write your answers directly in an editable Google Sheet or print them out if that’s your ministry.
👉 Buy the Mom’s Holiday Anti-Burnout Guide for $7
and give yourself 15 minutes to feel like a human again.
Let this be a holiday where you get to be present—not a “mom zombie” running on fumes.
Cheers,
May
