I can hear the Care Givers moaning at the sight of these words.
I'm not crazy nor am I demented! Seriously, I'm not nuts, Time Management when applied to Care Giving helps to relieve YOUR stress as a Care Giver. It is helping me to be a better Care Giver because I'm scheduling ME time.
Why is managing one's time so important? Time Management provides an opportunity to take care of things that are important to you while you are providing care to someone who depends on you. We all benefit when we have a sense of accomplishment. It's important to feel like you've finished something, it is great for ones soul.
So, how does one apply Time Management to Care Giving?
First, make a plan that has dates which you have created for yourself and keep them.
Live each day as if it were your last, make it count. Don’t waste any time, once your time has been spent, there’s no getting it back. Make “time” work in your favor by sticking to your plan and taking on one task at a time.
“I am definitely going to take a course on time management... just as soon as I can work it into my schedule.”
Louis E. Boone
American Author
A secret to achieving goals is to create projects out of your tasks. Instead of calling each task of Care Giving a job, which doesn’t appear to have an ending, look at each tasks as a complete project. By doing this, you will begin to feel that you are accomplishing something and not just doing a thankless job.
Finishing a project does wonders not only for your self-esteem, but it also gives you a tool to measure your future Care Giving projects and create time lines for completion.
You are also getting yourself into a good habit (Success Principle 1) for the time when your care giving duties have come to an end. Practicing success principles, will help you open new doors when you are ready for the next phase of your life.
We always have so many things to do during any given day. A tried and true known fact is, those who make lists, prioritize the items on the list and then take action (Success Principle 9), complete more work in less time.
Creating a plan for yourself every day, you are able to see what needs to be done. This is also a good exercise in training your brain to focus. By focusing on your individual projects, breaking them down into manageable pieces, it will eventually lead you to your goal, you are reinforcing your dream(s.)
Plans bring order.
Caring for a loved one with Lewy Bodies Dementia requires calm, peace, order. My mom, the woman who was not a very good house keeper, maybe because she had so many kids, now gets aggitated if I leave dishes in the sink over night.
To avoid the upset, I have a Project Plan that I created to help me provide better care to my mom. I plan time for my mom and I make sure I make time for me.
Exercise is important to me, I know it helps me to manage my stress levels, which makes me a better Care Giver.
Writing is another piece of my Care Giving Project Plan. It's my personal outlet for seeing what I could be doing right or wrong as a Care Giver. Writing is therapy for me. I thank all my readers for being my internet therapists, just reading my words helps me. So, thank you readers!
Meditation is also important to me. It allows me to find peace inside. Even 5 minutes of a quiet meditation is enough to restore my calm during the roughest Lewy storm.
Breath. Take time to breath. Deep breaths, slow deep breaths, makes one more relaxed and calm.
Care Giving requires calm.
It's not always easy to be calm or switch it on and off. But as Care Givers, we can train ourselves to do it. 5 minutes a day is all it takes. Schedule the time with yourself and then keep the date. It will help you to help yourself to feel good.
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