Strong People, Strong Emotions
Christmas is just around the corner. Hopefully by now your shopping’s done and you can focus on enjoying the holidays with your loved ones. Unfortunately not everyone’s in this position. Instead, many experience the holiday season as nothing more then stress piled upon existing stress. This is especially true for caregivers who bear incredible responsibilities everyday, sometimes without much help or support.
Caregivers are a tough group, often motivated by love and loyalty. Due to these strong emotions, caregivers don’t always allow themselves time to disengage and decompress. Instead they grind away – day after day – and many times suffer from burn-out, which in turn, compromises their caregiving abilities. The holidays only compound this cycle by throwing in lots of extra emotion and expectation. So how do caregivers manage their stress during the holidays? It all starts by paying attention to your own mind.
Spotting Stress Triggers
You probably already know your stress symptoms. Maybe they manifest as anxiety, sleep disturbances, headaches, depression or irritability. Maybe it’s the to-do list in your mind that only seems to get longer. You probably also recognize these symptoms as being stress-related, but do you know what actions or events trigger these feelings? It’s understandable why you might not. Sometimes we can’t recognize triggers as they happen because we’re simply caught up living our lives. As a result we only feel them as emotions later on. You can interrupt this process, however. If you can come to understand the causes of your stress, you can work to diffuse them before they become overwhelming.
To accomplish this, you must begin monitoring your feelings in real time. This takes practice and at first you may need to track your emotions back to their source. But eventually you’ll be able to experience an event, recognize your emotional reaction in the moment, and then process it. You may also start to recognize patterns, wherein certain actions trigger certain responses. Consequently, you’ll be able to start elimination – or at least reducing – those things that cause your stress.
Using Stress Reducers
Of course completely eliminating stress isn’t always possible, so taking part in deliberate stress-reducing activities is a crucial strategy in avoiding burn-out. Regular exercise is always the best way to diffuse negative energy. As a caregiver, you might view exercise as a luxury you just can’t afford, but making time for this important activity is an important way to care for yourself. And really, that’s where effective caregiving begins.
Meditation can also be a very effective self-care strategy. Some people are reluctant to start this practice because they believe it’s a religious activity, but in reality, proper meditation is really nothing more than focused breathing. Meditating for just a few minutes everyday can leave you feeling more focused and emotionally centered. This simple guide is a great place to start.
It also might not be necessary to make big lifestyle changes. Sometimes simply committing to more personal time can be a huge help.
Take Time for Yourself
As mentioned earlier, caregivers often don’t give themselves permission to disconnect and recharge. But hopefully by now you see how important this really is. Taking a little bit of time for yourself – if even for one evening – can make a world of difference in your outlook. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends or family members for help. And use that time to go out to dinner, see a movie, or spend time with friends. While these activities may seem unremarkable, they’ll serve as a much-needed break from the day-to-day routine of caregiving.
Generations Home Care Can Help
If you feel your stress levels increasing this holiday season, don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed to take action. And if you’re struggling to find support, Generations Home Care can help. Our experienced CNA’s and caregivers can come to your home and provide a high level of service for you or your loved one. Contact us today for a free in-home assessment and we can work together to find a level of support that best meets your needs.
If you’re a caregiver, there’s no need to suffer alone. Taking the time to care for yourself and seeking out qualified help ensures your ability to provide effective care to those who depend on you most.
