Caregiver Burnout
Posted By admin / 17th May 2013
20 top tips to avoid Family Caregiver Burnout:
1. Don’t try to do it all by yourself.
2. Evaluate the strengths and resources of your care recipient rather than the limitations and weaknesses. Let someone try and do something independently.
3. Stop making all the decisions by yourself.
4. Engage in dialogue rather than trying to solve all the problems.
5. Ask for and receive help from others. Don’t wait until you are falling off the cliff.
6. Do not deplete your own financial resources. DO NOT!
7. Seek advice and help from a trusted accountant or financial planner.
8. Accept the fact that you cannot fix what is wrong.
9. Learn to set appropriate boundaries and stick to them. (When you are comfortable with your boundaries, you automatically show up differently.)
10. Accept that you cannot and will not do everything perfectly and be okay with it. You have to cut yourself some slack.
11. Get comfortable with what is uncomfortable.
12. Be organized. Put a system together that works for you. It will save you hours of time and frustration.
13. Stop worrying about things you have no control over.
14. Learn to say NO (nicely) and remember that no IS an answer. You don’t have to do everything.
15. Stop doing so much and learn to bear witness. Sometimes all someone needs is to be heard.
16. Let go of control.
17. Practice a regular nighttime sleep routine. Try doing some of these. Journal your thoughts before bed. Sip a cup of soothing tea. Turn off the news. Read a book. Meditate. Relax. Breathe deeply. Sleep.
18. Do at least one thing each and every day to care for you – minimum of 1 hour.
19. Stay in contact with friends and make a plan at least once a week to get together and have some fun! You must schedule FUN.
20. Resolve to provide great care for your loved one, but also resolve to not lose your life to caregiving.
Getting out of caregiver burnout and overwhelm is key to successful caregiving and you need resources to help you do that. My No Compromise Caregiving Video Series is available for free and has helped thousands of family caregivers learn the ‘inside secrets’ to empowered caregiving. In addition you can immediately get my Top 100 Caregiver Tips just by visiting thecareco.com.