As a caregiver, numerous tasks are calling out for your attention and energy each day. The to-do list can be long and it can feel impossible to step away, even if only for a few moments, for much needed self-care. However, investing a small amount of time in yourself can have a lasting, positive impact on your ability to care for those around you. AARP shares that as little as 15 minutes of self-care can help you be a better caregiver by allowing you to stay connected to life-affirming experiences. We encourage you to try one or more of the recharge strategies below.
15-Minute Caregiver Recharge Strategies
- Dancing your heart out for 15-minutes to a memorable song from your teenage years
- A phone call with an old (or new) friend
- Practicing mindfulness
- Listening to an audiobook with headphones
- Guided breathing exercises
- Working on a puzzle, coloring book or paint-by-numbers kit
- Flipping through a beautiful coffee table book of photographs
- Journaling
- Rereading a book loved as a child (such as Little Women, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Charlotte’s Web, The Swiss Family Robinson)
- Stretching exercises
In addition to these activities, we hope you will consider the additional layer of support and self-care that hospice volunteers can provide. Hospice volunteers are eager to spend time with your loved one while you, the caregiver, have a more extended opportunity for respite and to do a task that you feel is life-affirming such as taking a walk, resting in another room, preparing a meal or running errands. If you would like more information about how a volunteer can support you and your family, talk to a member of your care team today.
Adapted from an AARP article. Visit www.aarp.org/caregiving/life-balance/info-2021/15-minute-self-care-ideas.html to read the full article.