The Mom Who Never Clocks Out - But Today, You Rest

“Work, work, work, work, work, work.” – Rihanna

Since it’s Labor Day, it seems fitting to speak to all the work roles we as women assume, both willingly and unwillingly.

May someone have mercy on us because at any given time, we’re wearing at least 3 hats simultaneously.

And bless you if you’re holding down a full-time job at the same time.

Sometimes, I refer to myself as Bounty – because I am forced to pickup all the messes everyone leaves behind both literally and figuratively.

Today, is supposed to be a day of rest, but since motherhood doesn’t have business hours, who can we call to take some time off?

We don’t have a clock to punch. No paid time off. No “out of office” messages. No one to call to cover your shift if you decide to stay in bed. Momming is a 24/7 on-call job.

We are cooks who figure out what to eat all day every day.

We are chauffeurs, doing pickups and drop offs to school and extracurricular activities.

We are office managers, keeping track of schedules, groceries, bills, birthdays, school forms, appointments, medications and knowing where everything is when someone needs it.

We are therapists who listen to everyone’s problems patiently waiting to give advice.

We are cheerleaders who motivate everyone and remind them of their worth when they struggle to see it themselves.

We are referees, keeping the peace.

We are nurses, tracking fevers, kissing boo-boos, mending broken hearts and cleaning up vomit in the wee hours of the morning.

We’re the planner.

The maid.

The organizer.

The teacher.

The encourager.

The problem solver.

The keeper of traditions.

The personal shopper.

The human Airtag.

The hairdresser.

The stylist.

And somehow, we’re still expected to be the wife, partner, friend, daughter, sister, employee, business owner, community member and human.

With the mental workload bearing so much weight on us, it can be hard to forget to be human. We think we’re supposed to remember, anticipate, plan and know everything like a robot. But there’s one small problem – we aren’t robots.

We’re human. However, unless you’re also a mom, you have no clue of the load we carry. So much of it happens quietly and behind the scenes, it easy for it to become invisible.

But we deserve rest, too. And I implore you to use this Labor Day to remember that rest isn’t something you have to earn.

The house doesn’t have to be spotless before you sit down.

Every task doesn’t have to be complete before you take a break.

Everyone else doesn’t have to be comfortable before we take a deep breath.

And we don’t have to feel guilty for wanting a couple hours of no one is asking us for something.

Rest isn’t lazy.

Rest isn’t selfish.

We don’t celebrate exhaustion over here, sis.

Being a loving mother or doting wife doesn’t mean sacrificing every ounce of yourself or being available every second of every day.

Have your needs.

Set your boundaries.

Say, “I can’t do that today.”

Ask for help.

And most importantly, get your rest without explaining why you deserve it.

This Labor Day, hang up a few of your hats.

Get somebody else to do it. And if they don’t know what needs to be done…Today is a great day for them to figure it out.

We aren’t responsible for holding everything together by ourselves.

This Labor Day, we celebrate you – the woman who works day in and day out on jobs that don’t always come with paychecks, a title or recognition.

We deserve a break. We deserve care. We deserve to be supported. And the biggest point of all – we deserve to remember that underneath all the hats we wear, we are still us.

Today, take those hats off. The world can wait.

Take your day of rest with everyone else.  

If you're feeling overwhelmed, you're not alone. Support from a therapist can help you navigate these emotions and find practical ways to care for yourself. The clinicians at New Chapter Counseling Services specialize in supporting women through life transitions, pregnancy, postpartum, and everyday mental health challenges.