66% of Working Parents Report Feeling Burnout: Here's What You Can Do About It.
- Dr Masi
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
What burnout looks like for working parents
If you’re exhausted, more irritable than usual, or feel like you’re constantly “on,” you’re not alone — and you’re not failing. Burnout in working parents often creeps in quietly. That’s why this statistic stopped me in my tracks:
66% of working parents report feeling burnout related to parenting. Those are the latest findings from a recent US study.
Parental burnout is a growing concern among working parents, especially in the wake of the pandemic. The demands of managing work, children, and household responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming, leading to burnout. As someone who has experienced high-stress levels associated with building a career and raising a young family, I want to share my story and offer practical tips to help you cope and avoid parental burnout.
Start here today (pick one)
If you’re running on empty: do one 10–minute reset (early night + stretch + a hot shower) and call it a win.
If you’re mentally overloaded: write down the one thing you’re carrying that you haven’t said out loud yet.
If you need support: message one person: “I’m not okay - can you check in on me this week?”
Why burnout sneaks up on high-functioning parents
When I became a parent, I was a medical doctor studying for specialist exams. I never anticipated how challenging it would be to juggle work and family responsibilities. As a working professional and mother, I felt like I was always on the go, constantly trying to balance my professional and personal life. I would go to bed late, wake up early, get my baby to daycare, rush to work, and fight rush-hour traffic to pick up my child before daycare closed. Then after my child was fed, washed, and asleep, I’d spend the rest of the evening typing patient correspondence letters and studying.
Eventually, I hit a breaking point. I was tired, irritable, and felt like I was constantly running on empty. In retrospect, I probably suffered from the early stages of burnout, but I didn’t realise it. What I knew was I didn’t like the person, parent, and partner I was becoming. I needed to make some changes to prevent things from getting worse.
The turning point for me
The SOS Flow Model: a steadier way to protect your energy
Self-care
The first step I took was to prioritise self-care. I realised I needed to take care of myself first to be there for my family and perform well at work. I started going to bed earlier, and within a few days, I noticed I was no longer sluggish in the mornings. I felt refreshed on waking. Because I went to bed early, I naturally got up earlier, which meant I had an extra 30 minutes to myself before my family woke up. I felt energised and took advantage of the precious minutes alone to do something I’d meant to do for a while. I started a simple centring morning exercise routine. It consisted of an online 11-minute yoga session and a 5-minute guided meditation session. These 16 minutes of “stillness” were an incredible accomplishment and felt like a huge win starting my day. You see, being an active person with a busy mind, slow exercises and sitting still “noticing my thoughts” was no easy feat… that’s why I had avoided it for so long despite the potential calming benefits. So to ease myself into this slow yoga and meditation routine, I kept the sessions short. Any longer and I knew, I would have ended up restless instead of relaxed. These early morning minutes to myself helped me feel calmer and more focused throughout the day. I also made sure to take breaks throughout the day to stretch, make a cup of tea, or briefly step outside the office for fresh air.
Organisation
The second step, “Organisation,” was essential to bring order to my life. In our busy, demanding world, we cannot do everything but we can make time for what is important to us. This step involved sharing responsibilities and setting boundaries. I talked to my husband about how he could help me with household chores and childcare tasks. I realised two important things: firstly, that I didn’t have to do everything myself, and secondly, that not everything had to be done my way. It was more important to ask for and accept help to rest and recover when needed. I also made a conscious effort to avoid overcommitting myself at work and home.
But before setting boundaries, I had to decide on my priorities and values. By identifying my priorities, I could focus on what was essential to my family and me and get clear on my goals. Because I knew my priorities, it was easier to say no to activities and events that didn’t align with my immediate priorities or lead directly to my goals.
Support
Finally, I reached out for support. I spoke honestly to my work supervisors and mentor about the current stressors in my situation and asked for help to reduce my workload and get help to prepare for the exams. I also spoke to other working parents who had gone through similar experiences and sought the advice of a performance coach. Having a support system made a huge difference in my ability to cope with the stress and prevented me from complete burnout.
Why I created the SOS Flow Model
My research and experience led me to develop the SOS Flow Model for Success, which helps achieve work-life balance (or, as I prefer to call it, work-life flow). The SOS Flow Model for Success involves three key steps: self-care, organisation, and support. Self-care is the most crucial step, as it is more difficult to let things flow if we are not taking care of ourselves. Being organised was essential to bring order to my life in our busy, demanding world. Support is vital for raising responsible human beings and achieving work-life flow. Managing the various aspects of our lives takes a village or team effort.
My training as a medical doctor, taught me how to assess problems, simplify complex information, and explain them clearly. However we’re not really taught how to support behaviour change — how to help people follow through on healthy habits in real life. That’s why I completed a health coaching course and became a certified coach, so I could better help working parents prevent and recover from burnout using my SOS Flow Model for Success. I work with women to identify areas where they can prioritise self-care, create organisational frameworks for delegating and setting boundaries, and strengthening support around them. The model is simple but effective, and it has helped many parents regain a sense of control of and have constant energy.
When burnout is easy to miss
Working parental burnout is a serious issue affecting many working parents. The symptoms and signs are often subtle and gradual, so often, we don’t notice. Others often see our changes before we know we are not behaving like our “usual selves.” So if you’re overwhelmed or exhausted, feeling more annoyed, anxious, or angry, or noticing you’re complaining, criticising, crying, or cussing more, you may be heading towards or experiencing burnout. And if someone who cares about you points out that you’re “moody” or “more emotional,” hold back the impulse to pierce them with a dagger-like stare, unleash an angry tirade of verbal diarrhoea, or flood them with tears. At this time, it’s important to stop, take a couple of deep breaths, and take steps to ruthlessly prioritise self-care, use organisational skills to arrange the chaos into calm and seek support.
You’re not alone — and support matters
Remember that you’re not alone or the only one who feels this way. There are resources available to help you through this challenging time.
By caring for yourself and implementing the SOS Flow Model for Success, you can show up as the best version of yourself for your family and work.
Want gentle support in your inbox?
If you’re carrying a lot mentally and emotionally, pop your name + email below. I’ll send practical, evidence-based ideas to help you feel more energised, calmer, and in control — without guilt or perfectionism.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Let's make your success healthy and happy!
Dr. Masi
Health & High-Performance Doctor for Women | HERSELF HEALTH
Disclaimer: This content is general information only and not medical advice. It may not be suitable for you. Please seek personalised advice from your healthcare professional.
Comments