When you’re a caregiver, you may hear a lot of advice about making sure you care for yourself, too. Practicing regular self care can help reduce stress and anxiety and prevent caregiver burnout.
But if you or your employees are struggling to balance work and caregiving, you know that finding time for self care is easier said than done. Taking care of yourself as you’re caring for others is more complicated than sneaking in a bubble bath or taking a walk.
Our Care Coaches understand the unique challenges that caregivers are facing. Here are some self care tips we recommend for busy caregivers:
- Schedule time for yourself like you would an essential appointment. Block out time on your calendar to watch tv, do an activity that you enjoy or call a friend.
- Give yourself permission to take something off your plate. If you have room in your budget, consider ordering a meal delivery service a few times a week or having a housekeeper come. There may be financial support available in your area for caregivers to support this kind of help—we can help you find it.
- If it’s just too difficult to get time to yourself, pick up a new hobby that you can multitask. Try an activity you enjoy that you can do with the person you’re caring for, or something you can do in the same room.
- Turn to your community. Take time to nurture relationships that can support you or provide respite care, such as a neighbor, another parent at school drop off or a church leader.
- Not everyone has a supportive local community. If that’s the case or if your situation makes it difficult to leave the house, join an online support group. A Cariloop Care Coach can help you locate an online group for caregivers or even a Facebook group for people who have the same hobbies as you.
- Don’t forget about your physical health. When you’re making doctor and dentist appointments for your loved one, schedule your own as well.
Creating a self care plan can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve been focused on caring for others for a long time. Whether you’re caring for small children, an aging loved one or you’re the friend who always shows up for others, a Cariloop Care Coach can help you figure out how to start caring for yourself, too.
Support with self care is just one of the ways we seek to relieve the stress and anxiety felt by all caregivers. If you’re ready to talk through what makes Cariloop such a meaningful offering for your employees, schedule a demo today.