The importance of self care for caretakers
by Michelle Kicherer of www.BananaPitch.com
Although very rewarding, being a caretaker can be a very draining experience, whether professionally or for a loved one. Sometimes when we give so much to someone else, it can be easy to neglect ourselves. Self care for caretakers is imperative.
Self care is the idea of taking intentional actions every day to benefit our own mental and physical well-being. Whether or not you’re a caretaker—everyone should have a self care plan! When coming up with ideas of physical things to do for yourself, it is important to consider first any physical ailments or disabilities you may have, and tailor your self-care plan to those. Self care does not need to cost money and remember: even the very small things all add up. We have to consistently make time for ourselves no matter how busy we are.
What are some daily or weekly physical activities that you can do that will energize, relax and repair your body? What are daily or weekly mental exercises you can do that will help keep your stress level low?
Below is a list of ideas:
- A getting-out-of-bed ritual: take a nice long stretch, raising your arms to the sky, taking three long, slow breaths.
- A getting-into-bed ritual: can be the same as your morning ritual. Just something to relax you and separate you from the stress of the day.
- Treat yourself to one tasty treat everyday: it doesn’t have to be something unhealthy! It can just be something you wouldn’t normally give to yourself.
- Find at least one thing that will make you laugh, every day. Seek out humor.
- Massage some lotion onto your arms, legs, neck. Slow, deliberate pressure along your limbs helps relieve the stress.
- Take baths.
- Write yourself positive notes. Write other people positive notes.
- Repeat empowering things to yourself. You are strong, wise and helpful. You’re doing a good job. Remind yourself daily.
There are many different charts to get your ideas flowing about what you can do for yourself.