Time Management Tips for Family Caregivers

It’s easy to feel like there’s no way to fit all of your duties as a family caregiver into 24 short hours. Family caregivers are often overloaded with daily care tasks: Housework and laundry. Personal care and hygiene. Planning activities that are purposeful and enjoyable for the older adult. Planning and preparing meals. Medical appointments. Shopping and other errands. And all of this is in addition to meeting the needs of your own household, children, spouse, and if there’s any time left over, yourself!

Take time to pause and take a deep breath, and then consider implementing these tried-and-true time management pointers to help each day run more smoothly.

Prioritize

Begin the day by prioritizing your tasks by logging them into categories, such as what must be done today, what you’d like to complete today, and what can hold off until a later date. This permits you to dedicate your full focus to the most important needs and set aside the rest.

Implement

Procrastination is so easy to fall into! Now that you have a plan in place for the day, jump in and accomplish the tasks that need your attention. Nevertheless, bear in mind that self-care should always be a top priority. Surround yourself with a powerful support system that allows you the time away needed to ensure your own health is not being compromised.

Define

With your list of duties for the day at your fingertips, choose who is best suited to manage them. Perhaps you are the best person to aid a senior loved one with showering and getting ready for the day, while a neighbor may be able to take the older adult to the doctor and out for lunch afterwards.

Remember to keep in mind that you are doing impactful and important work. It is easy to get swept up in the daily details and lose sight of the big picture and the fact that all you do for the senior you love is contributing to a lasting and positive impact.

Bearing that in mind, allow yourself some grace on the days when things don’t go as scheduled, as will definitely be the case from time to time! When a setback or crisis arises and your to-dos are left undone, know that tomorrow is a new day and the tasks are going to be there whenever you are ready to tackle them again.

Responsive Home Care’s caregivers are experienced, fully trained, and ready to help you in meeting each one of a senior family member’s needs – giving you the time away you need for a balanced and healthy life. Call us at 954-486-6440 or contact us online for a free in-home consultation for more information about our in-home care in Fort Lauderdale and the nearby areas.