How to do Self-care
Caring for your loved one is important, but it is equally as important to take care of yourself. Self-care means taking responsibility to care for yourself. This includes anything you do to keep yourself healthy and happy – it can be physically, mentally and spiritually.
While prioritizing self-care may be common sense, it is often the first thing to be neglected when you find yourself in challenging situation. By taking some time out for yourself as a caregiver, you may relieve the day-to-day stress and reset yourself to a point where productivity is once again optimized.
Try to recognise the signs of stress and how it may affect you. You can find out whether you are feeling stressed by doing the Caregivers’ Stress Checklist.
If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.
Learn to identify activities and practices that can support you to sustain a positive self-care in the long run. You can learn ways on how to cope with stress better. A self-care plan may help you to improve your overall wellbeing. You can also start a simple self-care checklist that works for you.
Ask yourself:
- Can I see myself doing this?
Reflect on how you typically cope with stress. You can benefit only if you put your plans into action e.g. gardening. - Is cost a factor?
If yes, go for a stroll or light jog at the nearby park instead of signing up for Zumba classes, which would make you feel more stressed when you fail to attend it. - Am I trying to do too much at one go?
Do not overload your schedule with activities. You can burn yourself out while juggling a multitude of self-care activities on top of your caregiving tasks. - Is there time for this?
Best practice for self-care is having a regular routine for it. Make simple goals you can accommodate along your caregiving duties like having a hot cup of your favourite coffee. - What things worked in the past?
Identify things that makes you happy and positive about life, find the peace within yourself.
You can also learn about the 4’Ps’ — an easy guide to help you start planning a routine with your loved ones. Download our basic care routine guide and template here.
For caregivers whom loved ones may have passed on, we understand that dealing with such transition can be daunting. You may feel lost from not knowing what to do next as your routine used to revolve around caring for your loved one. Find out how to cope with grief and move on with daily activities and re-entering the workforce.
