Caregivers need to take regular breaks for their mental, emotional, and physical health. You can’t help anyone if you’re not taking care of yourself first. You are facing difficult challenges and the demands never seem to stop.
- When you feel overwhelmed, have a few go to spots so you can recharge. After having a hard visit with my mom, I would sit on a park bench and notice the sounds around me. If you can’t leave the house, pace back and forth slowly in a diagonal line or deliberate path.
- Practice deep breathing in stressful moments several times a day. Even if you have to set alarms as reminders.
- Go to a sauna or steam room at your gym.
- Stand by a body of water, such as a fountain, and imagine that the water is able to take your anger, sadness, and overwhelm. This truly works and is one of my favorites. Try this visualization in the bathtub.
- Take a shower and imagine your worries going down the drain.
- Close your eyes and imagine yourself in outer space. Imagine how small the earth looks and how your problems seem more manageable.
- Designate a corner of your house as your special place to go and recharge. Can you make sure you have a few of your favorite things available such as lotion to give yourself a hand massage or inspirational reading material?
- Journal your feelings. Writing down the things that are weighing you down can give you immediate relief, show how other problems were solved in the past, and help you gain clarity and perspective.
Gradually incorporate the ones that work for you. Keen an open mind if something feels uncomfortable at first.
