Caregiver burnout is REAL! 5 Tips for Self-Care 🧘‍♀️

What is caregiver burnout?

Caregiver burnout happens when caregiving jobs or responsibilities become too much to handle 😓. It may begin to consume all your time and energy, making you feel emotionally exhausted from constantly putting on a happy face or repressing your own feelings. Whether you’re a professional or a family caregiver, there are severe demands to being a caregiver:

• Physical demands - Caregivers often have to lift and move patients, which can be physically demanding. They may also have to stand for long periods of time and work in awkward positions.

• Emotional demands 🥹 - Caregivers often have to deal with patients who are in pain, scared, or angry. They may also have to deal with difficult families.

• Long hours and irregular shifts - Caregivers often work long hours and irregular shifts, including weekends and holidays.

• Low pay 💸 - Caregivers are often the most under-appreciated and under-paid workers in the country.

• Short staffing - Caregivers often have to work with short staffing levels, forcing them to work long hours and cancel several personal commitments.

Approach to self-care 💆🏻‍♀️ - 

“Caregivers make such a positive impact on the lives of older adults and give so much of themselves in the process. However, caregivers are only human and need to make time for themselves so they can be happy, healthy and in a position to provide the best care to their loved ones.”

Let’s admit it! It’s a hard job being a caregiver, but the impact caregivers can make in the lives of their patients, clients or families is enormous! So, in order to continue being a hero and being the awesome caregiver you are, you need to take care of yourself, first and foremost. Until you’re in a place of happiness 😊, both physically and mentally, the burnout will continue!

It’s time to talk about Self-Care! Self-care is the practice of taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. It is important to engage in self-care on a regular basis, even when you are feeling well. This will help you to prevent burnout and to maintain your overall health and well-being. It’s not easy, but making moves to benefit your future is worth it.

Here’s 5 things you can do as a caregiver for self-care:

#1 Make “Me-Time” Mandatory 😎

It's easy to say you'll take some time for yourself, but it can be hard to do when you're a caregiver. But it's important to remember that you need to take care of yourself in order to be able to take care of others.

Try to find a physical or mental space that's yours and yours alone, where you can relax and enjoy your hobbies, spend time with friends, or simply do nothing. Feeling depleted and not at your best can make it hard to take care of your loved one, so it's important to take some time for yourself to refuel and recharge.

Taking time for yourself is not selfish. It's essential for your own well-being and will make you a better caregiver.

#2 Do what you love 💚

Self-care is taking time to do things that help you live well and improve your physical and mental health. Doing what you love can help you boost your self-esteem and release positive emotions. Research shows that people who engage in interests they enjoy are more likely to have lower stress levels, a lower heart rate, and a better mood.

What do you love to do? Think back to when you were younger. What gave you joy? What were you good at? Or perhaps, think of something you love to do for you – not as a wife, mother, daughter, employee or friend – but just as you?

#3 Say ‘No’ more often 🚫

Saying no is a radical form of self-care because it helps you prioritize your well-being over your obligations and relationships. Of course, there are deadlines to meet, conversations to have, and things to check off your to-do list. Everything can seem pressing and urgent, but boundaries help us prioritize what we need to do right now versus what we can do later when we’re less stressed, more energetic, and generally well.

If you're feeling like you're about to lose your cool, it's probably best to avoid listening to other people's problems. When you're in the mood for a chill evening at home, it's totally fine to say no to a night out on the town. Boundaries are important for keeping our sanity and preventing us from becoming emotional sponges.

#4 Drop Negative influences 🙅🏻‍♀️

Ditch negative people like a hot potato. They're no fun and will only bring you down. Surround yourself with positive people who make you laugh and lift you up. Even if these friends are family members, this kind of “help” will only set you back. You want to only surround yourself with people who are positive, trustworthy, supportive, loving, and kind.

Negativity can be a hassle to deal with. The people in our lives can affect us in all kinds of ways – and in turn, we also affect other people. When negative people take over our thoughts, it can be hard to figure out how to turn it around

#5 Take care of your body 🧘‍♀️

Self-care activities can range from physical activities such as exercising and eating healthy, to mental activities such as reading a book or practicing mindfulness, to spiritual or social activities such as praying or catching lunch with a friend. The important thing to remember about self-care is that it is about listening to what your mind and body need. Here’s a few must-dos:

• Drink plenty of water!

• Get enough sleep!

• Eat to live, don’t live to eat!

• Move your body!