Rely on calming tips when caregiving gets stressful
Caring for an older adult is a stressful job. What often helps is using a variety of different ways to reduce and manage stress.
That keeps daily frustrations from becoming overwhelming and causing caregiver burnout.
We found 7 effective stress relief techniques in this infographic from Pounds to Pocket.
It gives a quick overview of how stress affects the body and explains 7 techniques that help in managing stress for caregivers.
We give a brief overview of these 7 helpful stress relief tips and how they can help caregivers and also share the infographic below
Use these coping methods to reduce frustration and stress, stop negative thinking, and boost your mood.
7 calming techniques help in managing stress for caregivers
1. Plan ahead
Come up with strategies so you’ll know what to do if a tough situation comes up.
Deciding ahead of time “if X happens, I’ll do Y” helps you feel more in control and gives you confidence that you’ll be able to handle it.
2. Focus on breathing
When you feel anxious or upset, practice breathing in a slow and controlled manner – like square breathing.
3. Exercise
Physical activity stimulates endorphins and is a great stress reliever. Even a few minutes of getting your blood moving will do a world of good for your mood.
Try this quick exercise technique next time you need a break.
4. Avoid asking “what if?”
The longer you spend worrying about every possible outcome, the more time you’ll spend focused on negative thoughts.
Instead of speculating endlessly, force yourself to take a break from worry, even for just 10 minutes, to break out of the negative rut.
Or try turning your worry into something productive.
5. Focus on the positives
This is our favorite tip. Keep a go-to list of positive thoughts and things you’re grateful for. That way, in times of stress, you can immediately focus on them.
Putting positive thoughts in your head shifts your mindset away from negativity and instantly improves your mood.
6. Reject negative self-talk
When we’re stressed, the voice in our head often becomes extra-negative toward ourselves.
Notice when this happens and identify those harsh self-criticisms as just thoughts, not facts.
Instead, speak to yourself in a neutral or positive way to significantly reduce stress.
7. Forgive
Nobody is perfect and we shouldn’t hold on to blame toward ourselves or others. That will only add to our stress and frustration.
Check out the full infographic with 7 caregiver stress relief tips that will help you stay calm and reduce stress.
Recommended for you:
- Stress Relief for Caregivers: Boost Your Mood with a 10 Minute Exercise
- 10 Ways for Caregivers to Take a Quick Break
- 2 Tips for Managing Difficult Caregiver Emotions: Advice from a Social Worker
By DailyCaring Editorial Team
Infographic source: Pounds to Pocket
This article wasn’t sponsored and doesn’t contain affiliate links. For more information, see How We Make Money.
