Is “No” Part of Your Vocabulary as a Family Caregiver?
When you’re a family caregiver, you might find that you’re saying yes to tasks, projects, and other things that take up so much time and energy that you are left feeling drained. The time may have come for you to learn to say no more often.
Caregiver Springfiled PA – Is “No” Part of Your Vocabulary as a Family Caregiver?
Saying No Is Incredibly Important
Many people equate saying no more often as being negative or being closed off to new experiences. In reality, though, no means that you’re paying more attention to what you can and should be doing. If you’re saying yes to too much, you’re likely feeling overwhelmed and have way too much on your plate.
Turning Some Things Down Frees You Up
When you start saying no more often, you might feel guilty at first. That quickly fades once you realize that you’re freeing up time that you wouldn’t have had otherwise. You’re also going to be able to free up some of the energy that you would have used on that project or task. You may not even realize how much time and energy you expend on other situations until you start to say no.
Saying No Isn’t Personal
Part of your guilt about saying no may be that you feel as if you’re letting other people down. This is not unusual, but it’s also not accurate. Just because you’re saying no to a situation, that doesn’t mean you’re saying no to a person. Once you can make that connection in your mind, it’s easier to take care of what you can do and let the rest take care of itself.
No Is a Complete Sentence
You might feel also as if you have to justify your answer when it’s no. The thing is, no can be a complete sentence. You don’t need to justify your need to have time for yourself or to keep your energy reserved for caregiving and the rest of your life. Your time and energy are your own to distribute as you see fit, not as the rest of the world demands.
How often you say no is ultimately up to you, of course, but give it a try. You might be surprised at how much it can help you.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Caregiver Services in Springfield PA, please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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