Feeling Overwhelmed with Caregiver Stress? This May Just Turn Your Day Around.

"It just hasn't been a good day," we sometimes bemoan, shrugging our shoulders despondently. Occasionally, things happen that are completely out of our control, plus some days they seemingly happen at exactly the same time – making us wish we had chosen to simply stay in bed! Nevertheless, there actually are steps we can all choose to adopt to turn those difficult days around, and also find purpose and meaning within our challenging experiences. 

The next time you feel you are spiraling in pessimism on the circumstances of the day, try these techniques recommended by the Indiana home care team at Homecare by Design:

Take it one task at a time. Multitasking is highly overrated! Usually the feeling of having a terrible day ensues from being overwhelmed, from taking on far too much at once. Establishing some boundaries to focus on only one task at a time can improve productivity and provide a sense of accomplishment.

Try distancing. The art of distancing takes practice, but could be extremely helpful in keeping things in the proper perspective. To begin with, consider the impact a specific frustration you are experiencing could have four weeks from now – or one year from now. Then, think about the advice you’d offer to a buddy in the same situation to generate a target solution. 

Be grateful. It’s difficult to hold onto negative thinking when you make a conscious effort to appreciate the positives, regardless of how seemingly insignificant they might be. End every single day with a self-reminder on the top five things you encountered during the day. And keeping a log is an excellent solution to bring positives back into the forefront of your mind on particularly difficult days. 

Dedicate “me” time. Although it can seem impossible to actually take time for self-care with many other priorities vying for attention, it is vital to both our mental and physical health. Schedule blocks of uninterrupted time to enjoy a relaxing activity, and abide by those times as you would any other important to-do in your agenda.

Still feeling overcome? Homecare by Design can really help tremendously by partnering with busy family members to offer safe, expert senior care services that allow for a healthier life balance. No matter if the need is for just a few hours of respite care to deliver some breathing room for a family caregiver, full-time, around-the-clock care to incorporate maximum safety, or anything in between, contact us at 765.464.8080 to learn more about our professional Indiana home care services for seniors.