One of the misconceptions you might find yourself believing as a caregiver is that you just need to do more. This is a misconception because caregivers already do so very much every single day. It’s just difficult to see that when there’s still so much more to do.
Get Rid of Perfection
Perfection is the enemy of many a caregiver. You might do a million things just right, but the second you do something that you perceive as wrong, that’s all you can see. That’s a dangerous perspective to have when you’re responsible for someone else’s care. Perfectionism is not your friend and it’s not going to serve you well throughout your time caregiving.
You’re Already Giving This Your All
You might call yourself lazy or imperfect, but it’s really important to remember that you’re already running as fast as you can. You’re trying to hit a goal that is impossible to achieve and that just sets you up to fail. Taking care of someone that you love is a huge commitment and it means the world. You’re doing all that you can already. Beating yourself up won’t cause you to find more to give.
Keep a Log of Your Accomplishments
You already mentally keep a list of your failures. You might not realize it, but you do. Start keeping a list on paper of all that you get right and that you accomplish. It’s so easy to remember the bad things, you need a way to remember the good things you’ve done. It doesn’t matter whether you think that the accomplishment is “worthy” of writing down or not. Write it all down. And when you’re feeling really down, read through the entire list.
Assess Whether You Need Time Away
When you’re really feeling that you’re not doing enough, that can be an indication that it’s time for you to take some time away from caregiving. That can give you a chance to look at things from another angle. Gaining some distance can show you that you’re doing a way better job than you give yourself credit for on a daily basis.
Being a little kinder to yourself can help you to see that you really are doing a lot already. Try to imagine what you would say to a friend who expressed the same feelings to you. Chances are you’d be a lot more supportive of your friend than you are of yourself.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING CAREGIVERS IN YOUNGSVILLE, NC, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS TODAY. CALL (919) 761-5346.