As a family caregiver, there are some important questions you need to ask yourself, particularly if you’re feeling a good bit of stress. Periodically check in with yourself to keep finding solutions for yourself.
Are Your Relationships Suffering?
Family relationships and friendships can suffer greatly if you’re expending too much of your personal energy on caregiving duties. These relationships are the very ones that you need to be able to rely on the most during difficult times, so it’s important to nourish them and help them to flourish.
Are You Doing Activities that You Enjoy?
What do you do just for fun? If you enjoy reading, crafting, or other activities, how long has it been since you engaged in those activities. Denying yourself time with the things you enjoy doing is going to make you cranky and feel like all you do is work.
How Do You Pamper Yourself?
There are a lot of different ways to pamper yourself. Some people prefer a “spa day,” either at home or in a real spa. For other people, pampering is any time that they don’t have to do something for themselves, such as going out for lunch or dinner to a restaurant. Figure out what spells pampering to you and then do more of that.
What Makes You Laugh?
Laughter is truly the best medicine. As such, it’s important to find things that make you laugh and then enjoy them as often as possible. If what makes you laugh is your favorite show, find the time to watch an episode or two. If you’re into funny cat videos, save a few of your favorites to watch anytime.
What Can You Do Just for You?
Chances are really good that you do an awful lot for all of the people in your life. But what do you do just for yourself? Find something that you can or will do just because you want to and make sure that you do that for yourself at least once a month.
Use these questions to help you figure out when your own self-care plan is out of balance. The answers can help you to figure out how to get back in balance.
If you or an aging parent are considering in-home caregivers in Phoenix, AZ, please call the caring staff at Assisting Hands Home Care Phoenix. Serving North Phoenix, Glendale And Surrounding Areas. Call Us 602-362-6610.
