We all know that it can be difficult for caregivers or really anyone with a demanding job to take care of themselves. Today I’d like to talk about some simple ways to build healthy habits into your daily life so you can look after yourself as a caregiver. Now it is up to you to choose what habits you want to add to your routine, this will just help you incorporate them.

Pick Something You Can and Will Do Every Day

I won’t tell you what to pick, but I will tell you what not to pick. All over social media we see wellness influencers trying to tell us that taking an ice bath, or drinking hot water with lemon, or journaling every morning at the crack of dawn is the formula for lasting happiness. If that works for them, fine. But please pick an evidence-based habit (drinking water, getting enough sleep, etc.) and not something some influencer told you to do to fix your life. And don’t pick anything that you’ll hate doing or that you can’t actually make yourself do every day. I have tried at multiple points in my life to journal. I cannot do it, I do it once and forget about it. So I do not need to keep buying myself journals. And I do not have to keep forcing myself to journal just because it works for someone else.

Get an Accountability Buddy

If you have someone in your life who wants to do whatever it is you’re doing, then you two can share your progress as encouragement and accountability. Let’s just say that your goal is to drink 32 ounces of water every day. You and your friend or neighbor or family member can send weekly or daily updates. Maybe it’s just a text whenever you’ve hit the goal for that day. This can help motivate you to hit this goal.

Start Small

Huge lifestyle overhauls may not be the best way to build healthy habits, especially if you already have a demanding job. You want to start smaller. Focus on small improvements to your routine that will eventually be easy for you to maintain for the rest of your life. That could be drinking water, getting x amount of steps a day, or simply establishing a solid skin care routine. It doesn’t matter what it is. Find something small that you can and work your way up.

I will see you next week. Take care of yourselves!

Written by Brigid Stakelum