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Caregiver Self-Care When You Don’t Have Time
Caregiving

Caregiver Self-Care When You Don’t Have Time

by Kathy Macaraeg
written by Kathy Macaraeg

Caregivers rarely have time for self-care. Between regular “life” tasks and caring for another adult, there isn’t much time to practice self-care. While people harp on the importance of self-care, they rarely step in to give the caregiver time to actually practice self-care. So, many caregivers just drop self-care from their to do list. It’s the easiest thing to drop, yet it is critical to a caregiver’s well-being. Caregiver Self-Care When You Don’t Have Time
While the thought of adding one more thing to your to do list may be overwhelming, remember, if you don’t care for yourself, you can’t care for others. Operating at a level of near burnout can negatively impact your mental and physical health.

So how can you take care of yourself when your plate is already full? Practice self-care than can be done from home, quickly and cheaply. If the likelihood of getting hours of free time to take care of yourself is slim, Can you steel 5, 10, 20 minutes? Doing something for yourself, no matter how small, can reduce your stress levels and improve your health. Caregiver Self-Care When You Don’t Have Time

Here are some easy, cheap or free self-care activities you can start now.

If you have 5 minutes

  • Set the timer on your phone, close your eyes and just breathe. Even if your brain is racing through your to do list, you have at least stopped your body for a few minutes. Better yet, download the free Calm app to your cell phone, pop in some ear buds and do the “Breathe” program for as many minutes as you have to spare.
  • Take a few minutes to stretch. I have started doing a few simple stretches before I get into bed every night. It feels good to get the kinks out and helps me relax. My routine is pretty simple. I stretch my neck, hamstrings, quads and hips. Those are my tight spots, but you may have other areas that need a little more love.
  • Get fresh air. If you are driving somewhere, park a block or so away and walk. You’ll get a bit of exercise and fresh air.
  • Jot down a few things you are grateful for or a few goals. Having something to look forward to can brighten your spirits.
  • Play a game on your cell phone. I used to have a game called Brick Breaker on my phone that I would play whenever I was feeling anxious. I could play for just a few minutes to take my mind off of whatever was stressing me out.

If you have 10 minutes

  • Take a walk. Go outside and take a brisk 10 minute walk. Studies have shown that breaking up exercise into small bursts is beneficial to your overall health. You don’t need to carve out 30 minutes all at once.
  • Flip through a magazine or read a book. I have a tough time with this one as I am a huge bookworm, so 10 minutes doesn’t seem like long enough to get really into a book. A magazine is easier for me to dig into when I am short on time since I can get through an article or two in that amount of time.
  • Do a little browsing. If you are like me, you don’t get a lot of time to shop. Sometimes, if I have an extra 10 or 15 minutes, I go to a discount store like Ross or Marshalls and browse the shoes or home section. It’s just a nice little escape from my world.
  • Listen to music. Music can help lower stress levels so put on your headphones and blast your favorite tunes. You can probably fit two songs into your 10 minute break.
  • Sit down for a snack. If you are crazy busy, chances are you eat many meals and snacks on the run. Take 10 minutes to sit down and actually taste your food. It can be anything from a granola bar to yogurt. Just stop, sit down and eat it without popping up every few seconds to care for someone else.
  • If you have cable, visit the On Demand section and find an exercise routine that takes 10 minutes. There are several yoga and pilates videos, but I have also seen kickboxing videos that take 8 – 10 minutes. If you don’t have cable, visit YouTube and search for a 10 minute exercise video or meditation.

If you have 20 or 30 minutes

I can’t imagine having this much free time regularly, but if you can squeeze it in once a week, these are great ways to rejuvenate:

  • Take a long, hot bath. If you can manage to fit this in, schedule in a hot bath 30 minutes before bedtime so you can go to bed relaxed.
  • Try a yoga video. You can find a 30 minute yoga video on YouTube or on your cable network’s On Demand section.
  • If yoga isn’t your thing, find some form of exercise that is. You can do a kickboxing video or dance workout. Get your heart pumping.
  • Escape with a book. My favorite hobby, by far, is reading. I forego television to read. Reading allows you to escape to another time or place and step away from your troubles.
  • Embrace a hobby. Have you wanted to learn to sew or knit? Do you enjoy coloring? Use your 20 or 30 minutes to dig into a new or old hobby.

 

It may seem near impossible to scrape together some time for yourself when there is so much to get done in the day, but it is so important to your well-being to try. If you struggle to carve out time for self-care, here are some little things you can do to free up time:

  • Stop checking social media so frequently. Set aside time to check in with friends and family on social media and then put the phone down. You’ll be able to save at least 5 minutes.
  • Learn to say no. This is a hard one for most people. We all want to please people, but sometimes, you need to weigh your options. Will what you say “yes” to be more important than what you are giving up? Just say no if the benefit does not outweigh the cost. As they say, “no” is a complete sentence.
  • Can you multi-task? Do you need to get your mother’s prescription from the pharmacy? Download a reading app on your cell phone and read a book while you wait in line. Park a block away from the pharmacy so that you can squeeze in a walk. Invite a friend over to batch cook with you so that you can spend time with someone who makes you feel better while you get through your chores.

 

Self-care is essential to your well-being. How can you squeeze it in and what are your favorite activities?

Caregiver Self-Care When You Don’t Have Time

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Caregiving

Advice Tips for New Family Caregivers

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

Taking on the role of a family caregiver can be confusing and riddled with unfamiliar tasks, assignments, and responsibilities. When compiling a checklist, the one thing a family member needs to know is that elder care is more than just health care issues.

There are so many services to consider. Services I always recommend are the legal and financial planning aspect. My motto is always to plan for the worse but always hope for the best.

Subsequently, I recommend contacting the local Area Agency on Aging also known as the Department of Aging. You can find them online by searching the term “local area agency on aging.” The department will guide you to needed resources in your area. It’s the best place to start.

Caregiving Skills and Tips

The other skills and tips to list. These will set you on a better caregiver track.

  • Join learn to accept offers of help now
  • Learn as much as you can about the illness and care needs
  • Taking regular breaks from caregiving will prevent burn out
  • Learn time management skills
  • Get advice from professionals because now you’re expected to make important decisions and likely have limited information

 

Caregiving is physically and emotionally exhausting. Remember to recharge your batteries. Over time, caregiver stress can lead to burnout, a condition marked by irritability, fatigue, problems with sleep, weight gain, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, and social isolation.

Caregiver burnout is caused by repeated exposure to stress which harms mental and physical health. Chronic stress triggers a release of stress hormones in the body, which can lead to exhaustion, irritability, a weakened immune system, and many other issues.

To counter-stress and help avoid it, you can apply mind-body practices like yoga, tai chi, meditation, and deep relaxation techniques. Few other reminders:

  1. Take care of your health.
  2. Take time for yourself.
  3. Practice patience.
  4. Find work and caregiving balance.
  5. Learn to take the ups and downs lightly.

People are not always prepared when they enter the role of family caregiver. New family caregivers should make time for themselves, look at the technology that is designed specifically for seniors and caregivers, openly communicate with family members, and be prepared for financial planning. To help build these skills, caregivers can visit familycaregivercouncil.com.

While you might find it difficult to keep social appointments with friends and family in the face of caretaking, it is important to maintain social connections to feel less isolated. Realizing that you’re not alone and that others are going through similar experiences nurtures your ability to be self-compassionate. Hospitals and local organizations often offer caregiver support groups for family and caregivers.

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