You might be a natural worrier, but that doesn’t mean that its fun to do. You really need to get past your worries so that you can relax and roll with the punches of caregiving.
Try Meditating
Meditating can seem a little far out there, but it really isn’t. Spending just a few minutes each day meditating can help you to clear your brain and to feel a little calmer overall. It’s a great way to manage anxiety in general as well as specific worries and concerns. While it sounds complicated, there are plenty of apps and walkthroughs that can teach you how to meditate in a simple and productive way.
Deep Breathing Works, Too
If meditating just doesn’t work for you, you’re not alone. Some people find it way too intimidating, no matter how much they simplify it. Deep breathing might be more up your alley, and its something you can literally do anywhere. Simply practice taking deeper and slower breaths. If you do this when a new worry hits you, you can actually find yourself calming down.
Make Plans that Are as Accurate as Possible
Very often worry hits because you feel unprepared. As a caregiver, there’s an awful lot that can hit you out of the blue. One way around this is to make plans that are as thorough and as accurate as possible. You might not be prepared for every single situation that could crop up, but you might start to realize that you’ve got a better handle on caregiving than you thought you were.
Burn Off Excess Energy
One problem that often accompanies worrying is that there’s excess energy that makes you feel even more anxious. That’s your brain and your body functioning the way that they’re designed to. When your brain determines theres a threat, it sends out adrenaline so that you can flee the threat or fight it off. In today’s society, though, the threats aren’t ones you can fight or flee. So finding ways to burn off that excess energy, like taking a brisk walk, can help a lot.
Follow the Worry as Far as You Can
Something else you can do, especially if you’ve tried other techniques and you’re still worrying, is to follow it through as far as you can. This can be pretty scary, but if you’re going to worry anyway, you might start to see that going all the way through to the worst possible conclusion isn’t as bad as you think.
When you’re worrying constantly as a caregiver, that might be a sign that you need some time away. Make sure that you’re getting what you need so that you can be there for your senior.
If you or an aging loved one is considering caregivers in Minnetonka, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
