Do you have mom stress? Then, stop what you are doing and look at this checklist.

You can only go on empty so long. So….

1) Take one hour a day for yourself. I know this sounds impossible but take it. Pass off the kids to your spouse. Lock your door for 15 minutes. Sit in your closet and just think. Rest while the baby naps. Do something.

Tell yourself, I don’t have to live in a perfect house. OK – so your mother starched the kids’ shoelaces—who says you have to do the same? Learn to live with imperfection knowing that the day of clean houses will return in later years.

2) Say NO. You don’t have to be superwoman and do everything you are asked to do. Tell the room mother you can’t bake those dozen cupcakes this week. Don’t apologize for setting limits.

3) Calm down. A sure sign of stress is you yelling at everyone. If you are anxious, wound up and irritable, it’s time to take a walk. Get out of the house for a minute or get a sitter for an hour.

4) Focus on the positives. If all you can think about is the day your kids leave home, something needs to change. Maybe you have too much going on. You may need to re-think your priorities and scale down your activities. Refocus on what is going right today. Find something to praise.

5) Unleash the woman inside. Don’t forget that under every mom is a woman in hiding. Find her and let her out once in awhile. Mom is one part of your identity. Don’t lose the other parts of yourself.