If today’s to-dos seem like a lot more than you are able to possibly fit into 24 short hours, you’re not alone! Family caregivers are inundated with daily care tasks: Shopping and other errands. Planning and preparing meals. Personal care and hygiene. Planning activities that are purposeful and enjoyable. Planning for the senior’s medical appointments. Housework and laundry. And all of this is on top of meeting the requirements of your own household, children, spouse, and if there is any time left over, yourself!
We invite you to hit the pause button for just an instant, take a deep breath, and put into action these tried-and-true time management tips for caregivers to help each day run more smoothly.
Prioritize
Begin the day by prioritizing responsibilities into categories, such as what must be done today, what you’d like to do today, and what can wait until another day. This allows you to dedicate your full attention to the most important needs and set aside the rest.
Define
With your list of projects for the day in hand, choose who is best suited to take care of them. You may well be the best person to help the senior loved one with showering and getting ready for the day, while a neighbor might be able to take the older adult to the physician and out for lunch afterwards.
Implement
The temptation to procrastinate may be a powerful one to overcome! Now that you have a plan in place for your day, jump in and complete the tasks that require your attention. However, bear in mind that self-care should always be a high priority. Surround yourself with a good support system that allows you enough time away necessary to make sure your own health is not being compromised.
Through it all, remind yourself that the work you are doing is extremely important. It is easy to get swept up around the daily details and lose sight of the big picture and the fact that all you do for the senior you love is leading to a positive and lasting impact.
Bearing that in mind, allow yourself some grace on the days when things don’t go as scheduled, as will undoubtedly be the case every now and then! When a crisis or setback arises and your to-dos are left undone, realize that tomorrow is a new day and the tasks are going to be there whenever you are prepared to deal with them again.
Amy’s Helping Hands, the experts in elder care in Windsor, Ontario and the surrounding areas, employs care providers who are fully trained, experienced, and ready to help you in meeting each one of a senior family member’s needs – allowing you the time away you need for a healthy and balanced life. Give us a call at 519-915-4370 for an in-home consultation for more information.
