“New year, new you” might be something of a trite phrase and it can pile on a lot of unnecessary pressure, but the general concept certainly isn’t a bad one to have in the back of your mind, especially if you’re a caregiver and you know that you’ve been sacrificing your own needs to provide support to friends, family and loved ones.
Now that January is under way, if you’re looking for some ideas for resolutions and aren’t sure where to begin, prioritising self-care and giving yourself the time and space you need to restore and rejuvenate could make a huge difference to how you feel… and the level of support that you’re able to provide.
To get you started, here are a few ideas from the team here at Concept Care that could help you navigate the choppy waters of caregiving, keeping yourself afloat as well as those you’re caring for.
Consider respite care
Making time for regular breaks away from the person you’re caring for can be difficult and lead to feelings of guilt, but it’s essential to do so in order to continue providing the appropriate level of care.
If you’re looking to make just one new year’s resolution for your mental health this year, make it using respite care services so you can rest and recuperate, without having to worry that your loved one isn’t in excellent hands.
Focus on the good
Caregivers aren’t professional healthcare providers and, as such, it’s inevitable that mistakes will be made… but it’s important not to focus on these and give yourself a hard time. Your mental health will only suffer as a result. Instead, focus on the good that you’re doing and the successes that you’ve had. You’re sure to find that these outnumber the mistakes.
Self-compassion is key and it’s vital that you remind yourself of the good that you’re doing and how much help, support and loving care you’re providing.
Give up the idea of control
Of course, there are some aspects of caregiving that are within your control, but there’s a huge amount of it that you have no power over. Stressing yourself out over certain factors or events that you can’t do anything about will do you no good, so always take a step back to breathe and remind yourself that you won’t be able to exert control over everything.
Get regular exercise
Keeping yourself fit and healthy is essential if you’re a caregiver, as you won’t be able to provide appropriate support if you yourself aren’t feeling well or strong.
Regular exercise that you enjoy, whether that’s going for a walk, running, swimming or hitting the gym, will help you connect with yourself physically, helping you to build resilience and give yourself a serious mood boost. This in turn will ensure that you return to your caregiving duties feeling more readily capable to fulfil them.
