If today’s to-dos look like a lot more than you can possibly squeeze into 24 short hours, you’re not alone! Family caregivers in many cases are inundated with daily care tasks: Planning activities that are purposeful and enjoyable for the older adult. Housework and laundry. Planning and preparing meals. Medical appointments. Shopping and other errands. Personal care and hygiene. And all of this is on top of meeting the requirements of your own household, children, spouse, and if there’s any time left over, yourself!
We invite you to hit the pause button for just a minute, take a deep breath, and put into action these tried-and-true caregiving time management tips to greatly help each day run more smoothly.
Prioritize
Begin the day by prioritizing responsibilities into categories, such as what must be done today, what you would like to complete today, and what can hold off until a later date. This enables you to dedicate your full focus to the most important needs and put aside the rest.
Define
With your list of responsibilities for the day at hand, choose who is best suited to take care of them. You may well be the best person to help the older adult with showering and getting ready for the day, while a friend may be able to take the senior to the doctor and out for brunch afterwards.
Implement
The temptation to put things off can be a powerful one to overcome! Now that you have a plan set up for your day, jump in and complete the tasks that require your attention. Nevertheless, be aware that self-care should always be a top priority. Surround yourself with a support system that enables you the time away necessary to make sure your own health is never being compromised.
Through all of it, remind yourself that the work you’re doing is exceptionally important. It is very easy to get swept up in the daily details and lose sight of the big picture and the fact that everything you do for the senior you love is leading to a lasting and positive impact.
Keeping that in mind, allow yourself some grace on the days when things do not go as planned, as will surely end up being the case from time to time! When a crisis or setback arises and your to-dos are left undone, know that tomorrow is a new day and the tasks are going to be there whenever you’re ready to tackle them again.
At Golden Harmony, all of our caregivers are experienced, fully trained, and ready to help you in meeting all of a senior family member’s needs – giving you the time away you’ll need for a balanced and healthy life. If you could use the support of a caregiver in Raleigh, NC or the nearby areas, give us a call at 919-426-7522 for a free in-home consultation to find out more.