Time Management Tips for Busy Family Caregivers

If today’s to-dos seem like a lot more than you are able to possibly squeeze into 24 short hours, you’re not alone. Family caregivers are often overloaded with daily care tasks: Planning and preparing meals. Shopping and other errands. Planning activities that are purposeful and enjoyable for the older adult. Housework and laundry. Medical appointments. Personal care and hygiene. And all of this is in addition to meeting the requirements of your own household, children, spouse, and if there is any time left over, yourself!

We invite you to hit the pause button for just an instant, take a deep breath, and implement these tried-and-true time management suggestions to help each day run more smoothly.

Prioritize

Start the day off by prioritizing responsibilities into categories, such as what must be done today, what you would like to complete today, and what can hold off until another day. This permits you to devote your full attention to the most urgent needs and put aside the rest.

Define

With your list of projects for the day in hand, decide who is best suited to manage them. You may be the best person to assist the senior with showering and getting ready for the day, while a friend might be able to take the senior to the physician and out for brunch afterwards. 

Implement

The temptation to procrastinate may be a strong one to overcome! Now that you have a plan set up for your day, jump in and accomplish the tasks that need your attention. Nevertheless, be aware that self-care should always be a high priority. Surround yourself with a strong support system that allows you the time away to make sure your own health is never being compromised.

Through it all, remind yourself that the work you are doing is exceptionally important. It is very easy to get caught up in the daily details and lose sight of the big picture and the fact that everything you do for the older adult you love is causing a positive and lasting impact. 

Keeping that in mind, allow yourself some grace on the days when things do not go as planned, as will surely be the case from time to time! When a setback or crisis arises and your to-dos are left undone, realize that tomorrow is a new day and the tasks are going to be there whenever you’re ready to deal with them again.

Seniorcorp’s caregivers are fully trained, experienced, and ready to help meet all of your family’s elderly care needs – permitting you the time away you’ll need for a healthy and balanced life. Email or call us at 757-640-0557 for a complimentary in-home consultation to find out more information about our hourly home care and live-in care in Norfolk and other surrounding areas. To learn more about all of the different areas we serve, please visit our Service Area page.