You can take short breaks, long breaks, or breaks that are in between the two. The real question is whether you’re taking breaks at all as a caregiver. 

Your Brain and Your Body Both Need a Break

You might know that sometimes you need time away, but that doesn’t mean you take it. And as a caregiver, you’re getting a lot of stress both physically and mentally, not to mention emotionally. So when you commit to taking time away, it does you some good on multiple levels at once. If you’re ignoring those needs, you’re going to end up paying for it and usually when you least suspect it. 

You’re Not Wasting Time 

There’s so much to do, right? That’s why you can’t really take breaks, after all. Just sitting around doing nothing is silly when there’s constantly something to do. Guess what? That to do list is still going to be there. All those tasks that you haven’t been able to delegate are still going to be there. All of the things you need to do will be right there waiting for you. You’re not wasting time by allowing yourself to rest. 

You Don’t Have to Do the Same Thing Every Time 

You might also feel as if you have to be locked into doing the same thing every time you take a break. For instance, shorter breaks at home might feel as if they can only consist of a cup of coffee sipped in the same spot. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Your breaks are for whatever you need right then. If you most need to call a friend with a few minutes here or there, do that. If your longer break this week is to go see a movie, then do that. Next week you might go to a favorite bookstore and browse shelves for an hour or two.  

You Can Get Help with Breaks 

There’s so much about being a caregiver that is trial and error and that you end up navigating completely on your own. It doesn’t have to be that way, especially with breaks from caregiving. You can get help from elderly care providers to offer you respite. They can handle everything that needs to be done while you’re gone and you can rest easy that everything will be in good shape when you return. 

Taking time for yourself really isn’t negotiable when you’re a caregiver. You can’t keep pushing yourself constantly and not get what you need now and again. It’s just not possible to keep going that way. 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Simpsonville, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.  Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas. 

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Edward Harrison

Founder at Heart of the Carolinas

Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.

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