What I’m Doing Differently This May to Protect My Mental Health as a Mom

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and if you’re looking for mental health tips for moms, you’re in the right place. Because this time of year? It’s a lot. End of the school year creeping up, dance season in full force, summer planning on my mind, and a to-do list that seems to grow faster than I can cross things off. If you’re a mom reading this right now, I’m guessing you might feel the same way.

I’ve been really intentional this school year about not just surviving the chaos, but actually protecting my mental health through it. Here’s what’s been making a difference for me this May — and if even one of these resonates with you, I hope you’ll try it too. These are five mental health tips for Moms… or Dads… or anyone feeling overloaded lately!

1. I’m Protecting My Morning Quiet Time Like It’s a Meeting I Can’t Cancel

This is the one that has made the biggest difference in my life as a whole. Before anyone needs anything from me, I give myself at least 45 – 60 minutes of quiet — coffee, no scrolling, calming music, and something to bring me joy. Whether it’s a made up yoga flow or writing in a journal, stretching on the floor or posting on my blog – it’s my uninterrupted time to think about whatever I want to think about. It sounds so small, but it completely changes how I show up for the rest of the day. If I skip it, I feel it immediately.

2. I Said No — and It Felt Amazing

I have a habit of overcommitting, especially when it comes to the kids’ activities and school events. This year I have made a deliberate choice to say no to things that I would normally have said yes to out of obligation. Consciously, meaning I remind myself, there are to be no feelings of guilt. No over-explaining. Just “that doesn’t work for us right now.” No hard feelings. And honestly? It feels liberating.

Tip: It’s easy to forget how heavy the mental load Moms carry truly is. Make sure you to know how to cope with it.

3. Getting Outside Every Single Day

This one is non-negotiable for me. There is something about fresh air and Connecticut, especially in the spring, that genuinely resets my nervous system. Unfortunately my allergies are so bad that my body tries to keep me indoors – but my mind says we have to step outside the box. Even if it’s a 5-minute walk around the cul de sac, I make it happen. Sunlight and movement are free therapy, and we all need to take advantage of the free goodness in our lives.

4. I’m Learning to Stop the Spiral Before It Takes Over

I’ll be honest — the last few weeks have been harder than I’ve let on here. Some personal health scares had me deep in my own head, and if you’ve ever been there, you know how quickly fear can snowball into full-blown catastrophizing at 2am. What’s been helping me is catching myself in the spiral and doing something to interrupt it — putting the phone down and stepping away from Dr. Google, texting a friend instead of sitting alone with the fear, or just saying out loud “I don’t know yet, and that’s okay.” It’s not perfect. But naming the spiral has made it a little less powerful.

5. Putting My Phone Down After 8pm

The late-night scroll is a sneaky mood killer. I vowed to only pick up a book before bed in January but found myself sucked into Tik Tok one too many times. After starting HRT, I’ve been doing a soft “phone down” rule after 8pm and replacing it with reading or just going to bed earlier. My sleep has improved and I wake up feeling less anxious. It’s not perfect every night, but most nights make for better mornings.