Dear Caregiver, take a break!

Caregiving is a 24/7 job and you need to take breaks during the day! In addition to your other responsibilities, you ensure the survival of one or more people and you are most likely depriving yourself of respite.

If you were your own boss, you would probably sue yourself for human rights violations.

I know what you’re thinking. “There isn’t any time.” But that is debatable. I find that many caregivers don’t lack opportunities for respite, they lack resources, accountability and they haven’t made their own rest a priority.

Is taking 15 minutes out of your day to sit and eat, unreasonable? Absolutely not. But you mind trick yourself into doing 23 tasks in 24 minutes, so perhaps you can mind trick yourself into a break?

If you can convince yourself of all the things you need to do, why can’t you convince yourself that taking a break is important? Do you believe that you are less important? Think about that.

Leisure time has been found to significantly increase caregivers perceived sense of overall wellbeing. Most caregivers feel like they have little to no control over their time, which could be true. But what would it be like for you and those who depend on you, to take control of just a small slice of your day?

A break can look like:

1. Resting your eyes

2. Sitting down

3. Allowing yourself to daydream

4. Going outside

5. Sitting and eating your meal

Bonus: Sitting and eating your meal, OUTSIDE

Discretionary time, leisure time, is good for your soul. But it's unreasonable to ask you to devote 5 hours in your day to just yourself, I know this. But it is not unreasonable to ask you to abide by the law, which is two 15- minute breaks and one 30- minute lunch.