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October 23, 2020

Caregivers: Are You Doing These 4 Things to Avoid Burnout?

Being a caregiver can be profoundly rewarding, but it can also be draining. Obviously, it’s hard work, but no one goes into caregiving expecting it to be easy. What you might not expect is feeling frustrated and emotionally exhausted so often. These feelings lead to burnout over time, which can make your job incredibly difficult. As hard as it is to find the time and energy to take care of yourself, it’s the only way to ensure that you can continue being the best caregiver you can be. Avoiding burnout is essential for you and for your patient.

 

Following these four tips could be just the thing to help you keep burnout at bay.

 

1.Find a way to express yourself.

It may sound trivial, but finding an outlet for your emotional energy is incredibly therapeutic and can mean the difference between trudging through another day of caregiving and feeling ready for it. Some days will be incredibly difficult, and you shouldn’t expect to hold all of that in. You need to be able to express what you’re feeling in a way that works for you.

Choose an outlet that you look forward to and not an additional source of frustration. You can bake, paint, garden or dance, but you don’t have to cultivate a new hobby to express yourself. Feeling sad? Watch a sad movie to get those tears out. Know you need a laugh? Take in a comedy show. Write a set of silly haiku with some friends. It truly doesn’t matter what you choose to do, as long as you experience some sense of release and relief.

2.Make sure you have someone who can help you get perspective.

Here’s a frustrating truth: Sometimes your very best caretaking efforts will be thwarted. Sometimes your patient won’t cooperate or things won’t go as planned. It’s easy to feel down during these times, which is why you need someone who can help you manage your expectations. You’ll make mistakes sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you’re failing overall. It means that tomorrow you have another opportunity for things to be better.

Whether you tap a good friend to help you get perspective or see a therapist to help you navigate caregiving, make sure there’s someone on your side to help you maintain a realistic vision of what you’re doing every day. Some days you won’t be able to see things clearly, but this person can help you find a more productive viewpoint so you’re ready to move forward.

 

3.Set limits for your time and your energy.

As a caregiver, you’re tempted to give your all, and that can leave you depleted. Avoid constantly draining your reserves by setting limits so that you give a healthy amount, but not too much. This can be especially difficult, and especially important, for caregivers who care for a loved one. It’s okay to say no sometimes—particularly when something is outside your general duties. If someone asks you to do a favor, or attempts to add to your workload, and you don’t have time, it is always acceptable to be open and honest about why you can’t do that thing. There will be times you have extra energy, and times you don’t.

Be honest about what you can offer so you don’t commit to more than you can handle.

 

4.Schedule your time.

Caregiving can easily take over every free second. It’s important to schedule your time so that there are clearly identified times for caregiving and clearly identified times for you. You need to take care of your actual physical needs—eating, sleeping, exercise, appointments—but you also need time to take care of your mental and emotional needs.

Put time for yourself on your daily calendar so you prioritize that time. Sure, your dentist appointments are important, but so are coffee dates with your friend who’s a great listener. You can even schedule time for yourself during the day by blocking off 20 minutes to read or 10 minutes to sit outside and drink your tea. Scheduling these things makes it more likely that you’ll actually do them without feeling guilty about it.

 

SOURCES

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9225-caregiver-burnout/prevention

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/life-balance/info-2019/caregiver-stress-burnout.html

 

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