Four Factors to Consider in Putting Yourself First

By Shanele Healy | May 5, 2020 |

You probably started being a caregiver because you want to take care of people that you love. That makes complete sense, but it can’t go the way you envision if you’re not also taking care of yourself. That means that instead of putting yourself last on your list, you need to start putting yourself first.

Odds Are that You’re It

Caregiver Matthews, NC: Putting Yourself First

Very few caregivers have someone else in the wings, waiting to take care of them. So, the odds are very high that if you’re not taking care of you, no one else is. Think about how you would take care of someone like yourself. Would you make sure you were eating, ensure you’re getting plenty of rest, or try something else first? Those are the types of things you need to be looking into.

It’s Never Selfish or Wrong to Take Care of Yourself

It’s difficult for some people, particularly people who have taken to the role of caregiver easily, to focus on themselves at all. It feels as if that’s something that is selfish or wrong, even though that’s not the case. When you think about it logically, if you’re not taking care of yourself, there’s no way that you can do things for other people. It’s really far more selfish to stop taking the best care of yourself possible.

Get Your Priorities in Order

Something that can help is to stop for a minute and think about what your priorities are. You’ve got obligations to your employer and to other people in your life, and you’ve got obligations to your senior. All of these are important, but some may be more important than others. When you rank those priorities, consider how urgent it is for each of them that you’re in the best condition possible.

If What You’re Trying Now Isn’t Working, This Might

You might still have a problem with this advice and that makes sense. What could help is to look at it from a different angle. If what you’re trying now isn’t working and you’re constantly feeling awful, then trying something else couldn’t possibly make the situation worse. What it could do is to make the situation much easier on you and on the other people you care about.

As a caregiver you have to take everyone’s needs into consideration, including your own. If you’re not, it’s so much more difficult to be a caregiver.

If you or an aging loved one are considering in Caregiver in Matthews, NC, please call the professional staff at Caring at Heart today at (704) 379-7510. Serving Charlotte, Statesville, Ballantyne, Mooresville, Huntersville, Matthews, Concord, Gastonia, Pineville and Indian Trail

Author
Recent Posts

Shanele Healy

Owner at Caring at Heart

Caring for others has always been a passion for the owner. She joined the healthcare field while still in high school believing that every health provider had the same intentions at heart. While working as a nurse assistant,Gloria quickly realized that those whom needed us most were being neglected and not receiving the best quality of care they deserved.
Knowing in her heart that families deserved better, she started Caring At Heart in 2008 with two key goals in mind: To provide clients and their families with an experience that was personable, easy, and reassuring and to create a working environment that employees were excited and proud to be a part of.