When you’re a caregiver, every second counts. There are appointments to keep, meals to cook, medications to administer—all critical to the health of our loved one. But when there is so much to do and so little time to do it all, when we count and divide our seconds of the day as if they are meaningless, stress levels can get out of hand. I’m not saying that organization and planning lead to anxiety—quite the opposite
It’s when we let our to-do list dominates our lives that it becomes a problem.
As a caregiver yourself, you don’t need someone else to tell you how all of this feels. It’s overwhelming, to say the least. So, how can we alleviate some of this stress? For starters, you can try these five time management tips:
Organize Your Planning, Plan Your Organization
If you’re not keeping a calendar or schedule to stay on top of all your responsibilities, you need to start today. While keeping a schedule does take effort, it won’t be as much effort as scrambling to remember and keep your appointments. Taking the time to write out all of the important dates of the year—including birthdays, holidays, and other permanent dates—will help you plan better on a weekly and daily basis. Your to-do list will be easier to manage if you know what is on the horizon.
Account for Extra Time
At times, you’ll find yourself running late and rushing out the door. It could be because your loved one spilled some food or had to go to the bathroom at the last minute. In reality, there are a million things that can make keeping a schedule difficult. The best way to mitigate lost time is to build downtime into your schedule. Giving yourself an extra half hour here and there can make all the difference.
Prioritize Your Task List
Life as a caregiver gets easier as you adjust to the role. You’re going to be a master of multitasking in no time. In fact, at some point, you’re going to find yourself, a little unexpectedly, to be honest, with some extra time on your hands. It might be twenty more minutes in the morning, just enough time for another cup of coffee. Or it might come in the afternoon as you’re putting away the laundry.
Life as a caregiver gets easier as you adjust to the role. You’re going to be a master of multitasking in no time. In fact, at some point, you’re going to find yourself, a little unexpectedly, to be honest, with some extra time on your hands. It might be twenty more minutes in the morning, just enough time for another cup of coffee. Or it might come in the afternoon as you’re putting away the laundry.
When you have extra time, it can be easy to get distracted. You might tell yourself that you’re accomplishing something that needs to be done, like organizing your books or finally hanging that painting you bought on vacation. Chances are high, though, that you have other more pressing matters to attend to. To keep from falling into this trap, prioritize your task into two groups: “essential” and “non-essential.” Finish the tasks in the first group before moving to the second.
Give Yourself a Break
Speaking of prioritizing, you need to prioritize yourself every once in a while. If that means putting some “me time” in your calendar, then so be it.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Realizing that you’re not on your own is perhaps the biggest stress relief you can get. As a caregiver, you have many resources at your disposal. Let the home care specialists at Granny Nannies be your go-to place for that extra bit of help. We can help with hygiene care, social interaction, emotional support, and accident prevention so you can relax knowing your loved one is in good hands.