The idea of scheduling or even implementing self-care into every day might be an intimidating one for you as a caregiver. The thing is, often people overthink what self-care is or should be. Look for easy ways to get more out of your self-care.
Get Some Sort of Movement into Every Day
Exercise is an excellent form of self-care for your body and your mind. It’s also something that you might be avoiding, so it’s a good idea to figure out how to get more of it. You don’t have to do anything complicated, either. Do some stretching after you wake up or dance to a favorite song.
Do Something You Love
There are likely a lot of different activities that you enjoy doing but that you don’t have time for anymore. Start doing some of those activities again and if they’re ones that require you to leave for a little while, do so. Elderly care providers can take over while you’re gone and you can pick back up where you left off.
Slow Things Down a Little
If you’re spending a lot of time racing from one activity to another, it might be time to slow down some. Schedule in some breathing time in each day. When you deliberately slow down, you can take in more of what’s happening around you.
Try Some Journaling
Journaling is a powerful way to uncover issues and problems you’re experiencing. It’s also a way for you to see what you appreciate in your life and what changes you want to make. Journaling doesn’t have to be perfect, either. In fact, it’s much better for you as a tool if it isn’t perfect.
Watch What You Eat, to an Extent
What you eat can be a form of self-care, too. If you’re eating lots of junk foods, you might be enjoying the flavors, but your body isn’t getting the nutrients that it needs. So balance that out by eating foods that you love as well as foods that nourish your body.
Do Nothing
Something that gets overlooked but that can help you to feel a little better is to simply do nothing. So much of life, especially as a caregiver, involves constantly going and doing. How often do you spend any time doing nothing at all? Try it for five minutes and see what it does for you.
Self-care is crucial, but it can be incredibly tough to make sure that you’re doing something for you. It’s even more difficult when you just don’t know what to do. Start making a list of the different things that you can do that fill you up, that give you joy, and that