Over the course of the past few years, what started out as running occasional small errands for my aging parents, has evolved into my moving in with them in order to better assist with their daily needs. I have not for one minute regretted this decision and I can honestly say that this is where I want to be. However, I have also noticed that it has become increasingly difficult to find time for myself and, to be honest, it is starting to sink in what I heard all those experts say over the years about how important it is to care for yourself. Like everyone else, my first and quick response is that I simply don’t have time for myself when there are so many other things that need to be done.
I once had a boss say to me: “You don’t have the time to not care for yourself.” It’s not all that hard to figure out the point he was trying to make. If you don’t care for yourself now, down the road you will need twice as much time to “catch up” on the care you need. It’s so easy to put on that “fake” attitude that leads everyone to believe that all is OK, however I have discovered over the years that you really aren’t fooling anybody. They may not know exactly what it is, but they know something is wrong. Simply put, at the end of the day taking care of yourself allows you to have something left to give to others.
So what exactly does “taking care of yourself” mean? I am not an expert and I’m equally sure that those who are experts would have more to say, but I believe each person must find the right approach for themselves. And their circumstance. That said, as simple as these may seem, here are a few things I discovered about what it means to take care of myself:
- A good night’s sleep. I use to say that “my free time” was after my parents went to bed. However I have discovered that if I go to bed at the same time and get a good night’s sleep I’m far more productive the next day
- I cook a lot of meals, but found myself cleaning up the kitchen or making the next day’s meal while everybody else was eating. Now, I take the time to sit down and eat my meals with my parents, enjoying the company, conversation and meal. The dishes will still be there
- Daily walk. My favorite time is when I take my dog to the river walk for at least a ½ hour (not to mention, it’s my dog’s favorite time too!)
- Laugh, laugh and then laugh some more. We are living in times that are hard and stressful. Just watching the news can actually bring someone down too. So I try to keep a healthy sense of humor about everything around me (probably a little too much, but trust me…it helps!)
- Personal Spiritual time. One of my most important daily rituals is a quiet, daily devotional reading. Sometimes when I roll over in bed it is easier and more desirable to get that extra 10 minutes, but I have found if I force myself up and read for just 10 minutes I always find something that encourages me through the day
These are just some of the things that have worked for me, so I’d encourage you to find those few that work for yourself and see if you don’t feel better!
