Caregiver’s life is no joke. There are lots and lots of things to do and there seems to be no time to do it all in one day. Actually, there seems to be no end to it at all! If you have been caring for your loved-one for quite some time now, you must be familiar with common caregiver angst. Oftentimes, it gets so overwhelming that it is not impossible to think of things that can get you feel all guilty and terrible in seconds. Well, let me tell you this right now, it is okay to feel that way, and it is normal, however, it is important to seek help once you feel these things so that you’ll be able to prevent doing things which you might regret later on.
Always think of it this way, if you do not like half of what you are doing, or perhaps getting tired of doing them, just think of the stress you are “radiating” from within. It is not impossible for your loved-one to be feeling them too – and they must be feeling doubly troubled since they know they are the ones causing all those stress you are feeling right now. I’m sure, you don’t want this to happen. Also, stress can definitely affect the way you do things. In fact, they can slow you down. So if you would like to get things done and still have time for yourself, here’s a guide how to do it:
• Avoid cramming as much as possible. Without saying so, you know that cramming is lots of stress and quite frankly, you don’t need that additional stress right now. As much as possible, try to get your tasks done according to priority. By “priority” that includes your time for yourself as well, and never forget nor compromise that.
• Allow time for emergencies. As a caregiver, you should always be prepared for emergencies. There will be days when emergencies suddenly turn up and disrupt your day’s schedule, by allotting time for emergencies, you won’t freak out about the things that you won’t be able to do that day anymore and simply put it off for the next day’s “emergency” time. It’s like allowing yourself some “window” time every single day.
• Slow down. Remember that you are your own task manager, you don’t need to pressure your own self. Make a list of the things you should – and could – do in a week, then break them down to a day. Make sure you stay within a reasonable number of tasks a day and consider the hours a task is most likely to take. Make allowances in between tasks.
• Keep a little phonebook of people you can call in case you need them and have it within reach at all times. I don’t know with you people, but I tend to use phonebooks beyond their normal capacity – I just write everybody’s contact info all the time! However, when it’s time to call someone, you have to give me a minimum of 10minutes to locate that person’s contact info. That’s how messy everything could get! To save you time, try to keep a small phonebook, separate from your “doodle” phonebook and jot down important numbers. And oh, try to keep it clean too.
• Delegate. It is important for you to know that you can always pass your tasks to someone else. Have your whole family involved and explain to them that the caregiving task is not a one-man show, it just needs someone to lead and organize the troop which is, in this case, you. That means you don’t have to do all the tasks by yourself – it is a combined effort.
