It’s Not Selfish to Self-Care
Life can be pretty hard as a caregiver. In order to provide the best possible care for your loved one, you need to be healthy yourself. Self-care is not selfish, in fact, it is essential for you to avoid burnout, improve your overall well-being and enable you to be the best caregiver you can be.
So, exactly what does self-care look like for a cancer caregiver? It can be different for everyone, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
Make time for yourself: Set aside time each day to do something that you enjoy. This could be something as simple as reading a book or taking a walk.
Connect with others: Connect with other caregivers or join a support group. It can be incredibly helpful to talk to people who understand what you're going through. If you aren’t sure where to start on this one, you can contact the oncology staff on your next treatment or check-up visit. Or, join a site like Onevillage.io and find your people online.
Meditate: You may not think you are into meditation. But it can be a very simple process of even a minute. Stop what you are doing and focus on your breath. Breathe in for four counts. Hold it for a second then breathe out for four counts. Repeat this a few times, or for twenty minutes. That is your choice, but this simple act calmed me down on many occasions.
Exercise: I know I know, this can be hard when you are already feeling run down. But exercise helps reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. Even a short walk or yoga session can make a big difference. And sometimes, when my husband Brandon (my cancer patient) was feeling up for it, he’d join me on a short walk. We loved that time.
Balancing your Food: Eating a healthy diet is important for your physical and emotional well-being and so is enjoying your food. Find a balance between the vending machine candy bars and the tasty salads you can make at home. For me, planning a week in advance helped a lot. Granted, a lot of the meals were just me eating. During treatment, Brandon often couldn’t even look at anything but an Eggo Waffle or Fried Chicken.
Get enough sleep: We all king getting enough sleep is essential for your physical and emotional well-being, but there are a lot of rough nights as a caregiver. So, if you find yourself run down, moody, or struggling, ask for help. See if someone else can take the night shift so you can get the rest you need to start fresh.
Take a break: If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's okay to take a break. Whether it's a day or an hour, it's important to give yourself time to recharge. Brandon was an inpatient for five days every few weeks. I felt the need to be there. At one point, I was so overwhelmed I was sharing with one of my best girlfriends, Sandi, how behind I was on chores at home. They were hanging over my head, but I didn’t want to leave Brandon, even though he said he’d be fine with it. She made it easy by offering to spend the day with Brandon at the hospital. He loved it because they played video games and talked about new things she was up to and I got my chores done, read a book, and felt refreshed
It's also super important to remember that self-care is not a one-time thing, it's an ongoing process. It's about taking care of yourself, both physically and emotionally. It's about making time for yourself and doing things that make you feel good. It can be easy to forget to check in with yourself and figure out what you may be needing. Remember, you are not alone in this journey and it's important to reach out for support, whether it's from friends, family, or a support group.
In conclusion, taking care of yourself as a cancer caregiver is essential for your overall well-being and for the well-being of the person you are caring for. Remember to prioritize your self-care, and make time for yourself. You deserve it.
