How Parents Can Stay on Top of their Mental Health by Mind Coach & TV Presenter Anna Williamson

Parenting is without a doubt the hardest job in the world!  Juggling work, family, finances and trying to crowbar a social life and relationship in there can be almost too much at times.  Keeping an eye on your mental health is incredibly important and key in ensuring you’re able to cope with your day to day responsibilities. 

So what should you do?

1 – Keep things in perspective and prioritise – it can feel overwhelming when we are juggling so much, but taking a pause and putting the different aspects your life in order or priority can help in taking the pressure off.  When push comes to shove, kids and family are #1, everything else can wait.

2 – Take time out – take some time each day/week to just ‘be’ by yourself, when the noise around and demands on you are deliberately put to one side, you can let your mind just rest and recover a little.

3 – Don’t people please – catch yourself being a ‘yes’ person to all and sundry.  Put you and your family first and don’t run yourself ragged pleasing everyone else’s requests before fulfilling your own needs first.

4 – Create family time – put aside some time to spend as a family.  Ditch the phones and any distractions and plan time for just you and the kids.  It’ll do you all wonders, alleviate any parent guilt, and boost the happy hormones.

5 – Talk it out – if you’re finding things too much, don’t bottle the feelings and thoughts up, talk to your partner, a mate, a boss, and tell them what’s going on for you.  It can be the best way to get any stress out.

Credit: Anna Williamson, Talk Radio host and author of bestselling book and podcast, Breaking Mad: The Insider’s Guide To Conquering Anxiety  


Bio: Anna Williamson is a television presenter, radio broadcaster, life coach, counsellor, Master NLP practitioner and author of the bestselling book Breaking Mad. She is also an Ambassador for Mind, Childline and The Prince's Trust. Anna now runs her own private coaching practice offering those in need 1 to 1 coaching sessions, alongside being a media agony aunt and expert in the parenting sector having written Breaking Mum And Dad: The Insider's Guide To Parenting Anxiety.