Family caregivers are notorious for not having time for themselves. Add to that the stress of the holidays and caregiving, that time for yourself decreases dramatically. Yet, the top advice given to most family caregivers is to take some time to take care of yourself! How do you balance out all of the demands placed upon your time and still squeeze out some moments to relax and rejuvenate?

First off, schedule time. This isn’t always easy to do with the hustle and bustle of the season, but try and schedule a couple minutes to yourself every day. When you do, treat it like a doctor’s appointment or an important event.

Don’t be afraid to ask for some help. Friends, family and even members of your local place of worship can be great resources for you to get some time away. You can even arrange a visit where a friend or family member stays with your loved one while you take some time off in another room.

Find something that doesn’t take a long period of time or that can be stopped and started easily if you need to attend to your loved one. A lot of creative outlets, such as knitting, scrapbooking, and even painting can be done in short spurts of time. Find a place that you can keep the materials out and ready for use without cluttering your main living areas. If you don’t have time for that, how about a crossword or Suduko puzzle? You can even play some free mind-training games online. Try Knibble.com’s Chain Letters or Solitaire.

If crafts and games aren’t your thing, you might want to journal or blog about your experiences. Blogs and journals can help you vent, or keep a record of your journey. Reading and commenting on other blogs is also a way to make connections with other caregivers who understand what you’re going through. You can even try forums, like the one on AGIS.com.

However you find it, make sure to pencil in some time for you. While caregiving is about being selfless, if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to be there to care for your loved one.

 

More Resources from AGIS.com

Caring For Yourself As a Caregiver

Stress and Coping

 

Caregiver Self Assessment

 

 

Filed under: Caregiving