Is Self-Care Exhausting You?

Ever feel like the very act of planning self-care becomes another exhausting task on your to-do list? In this candid conversation, Jill and Linda explore the surprising paradox many moms face: sometimes our pursuit of self-care creates more pressure than relief. From decision fatigue to disappointment when plans fall through, we unpack why self-care sometimes feels like just another burden—and how to shift your approach for genuine restoration instead of more exhaustion.

Episode Highlights:

Delayed Exhaustion Is Real: Your body doesn't always process strain immediately. As Jill and Linda discovered, sometimes the exhaustion from challenging events hits hardest two days later—making preventative self-care even more important than reactive care.

Decision Fatigue Matters: The mental load of deciding what self-care you need can itself become draining. As Linda points out, "Making the decisions to do self-care is exhausting," especially when you're already depleted.

Flexibility Prevents Disappointment: When Jill's planned self-care night was canceled due to snow, she pivoted to a simpler alternative—early bedtime. Learning to adapt your self-care expectations helps prevent the emotional drain of disappointment.

Quick Decisions Can Save Energy: Linda demonstrates the power of decisive action when she's depleted: "Toasted sandwiches for dinner, Bluey for the kids, and 30 minutes with my book." No overthinking required—just a rapid shift to protection mode.

Self-Care Gets Easier: Both hosts agree that while self-care felt exhausting during early motherhood years, it becomes more intuitive and energizing as you develop your practice. What once drained you can become your source of restoration.

Moving Forward:

If you find yourself exhausted by the very thought of self-care, you're not alone—and we have solutions. We've compiled our top ten simple, free, and readily available self-care practices that require minimal decision-making energy. Reach out through our email (in the show notes) or on social media, and we'll send you this list to eliminate the decision fatigue. Remember: true self-care shouldn't drain you further—it should provide the exact kind of restoration your body and spirit need in this season of motherhood.

You don't have to figure this out alone. Sometimes, the most powerful self-care is simply accepting support when it's offered.

Connect with us:

Please email your questions to muckedupyourselfcare@gmail.com

Join the conversation about what intentional self-care means to you.

You can also find Jill on Instagram @mamaoutspoken and https://www.mamaoutspoken.com/ and Linda @hellolindabonney or https://www.lindabonney.com.

Until next week – we hope you can unstuck your muck!