Start to Heal Your Burnout

Written By Michelle Finn

As a caregiver we typically pass our burnout threshold long before we realize it.  Our bodies are screaming at us to take a break, but unfortunately, we don’t recognize the signs until we are about ready break, or we have already broken.

Does that sound like you? Don’t worry I got ya.

Today I want to highlight some steps you can take daily to reduce your stress and learn how to be more aware of the warning signs when they do show up.

1.  Shower and Get Dressed EVERYDAY!!

I know this sounds a bit ridiculous, but studies do show that these two steps will boost your self-esteem, put you in a better mood, and give you more confidence as you take on the day.  Let’s face it with doctors’ appointments, IEP’s, people’s ignorance, the red tape that seems to be everywhere a little extra confidence never hurts.

2.  Whole Foods Diet

Yeah, I get it, nobody wants to hear change the way you eat, but it is true, especially for caregivers. Stress causes inflammation. Processed foods also cause inflammation, and inflammation causes disease. It is a known fact that inflammation plays a huge roll in the development of many cancers and autoimmune diseases.  I have an ongoing research study (I will link below, if you would like to participate) that shows a high percentage of moms who have children that are 15 and older, who are significantly affected from their disability, have, or are suspected of having an autoimmune disease. Whole foods are just fresh foods. Stay away from the packaged stuff, as much as possible.

3. Move Your Body

While we are addressing the healthy lifestyle stuff this is another important one. Exercise reduces inflammation.  Exercise helps lower your anxiety and depression. Helps strengthen bones and muscles, and if you are lifting your kiddos this is definitely a needed bonus.  Exercise also improves your sleep.  Look, you don’t have to go crazy with exercise find something you enjoy and do it for 30 minutes a day.  Just move your body. It’s going to boost your mood, too.

4.  Sleep

Do you know why they call it beauty sleep? While we are sleeping our bodies are repairing themselves. This helps to protect us from serious health issues. Can give us glowing skin and fuller hair. It’s true, go ahead do your research. It is also a stress reducer, which will give us more patience.  We should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night, so go snuggle in and get that beauty sleep.

5. Set Goals for Yourself

We often are so focused on what our kiddos need we forget about our own dreams and goals.  Time to start to dream, again.  Set a small goal. I know we want the big goal immediately, but when you set small goals, they are easier to achieve, and give you the wins that you need to keep going.

Example: You want to lose weight.  Currently you don’t work out and you eat fast food 6 meals a week. Realistically, what can you do to change this?  You could stop eating fast food, only cook at home, and workout 6 days a week. However, that’s not your routine, so chances are its going to become overwhelming, and you will quit. Try going for a walk around the block twice a week to start. Replace one of those fast food meals with a healthy meal. Once you have mastered that add 2 more nights of walking, replace 2 more meals. Eventually, you will get there. Slow and steady really does equal success.

The important thing is that you start to find yourself again.

6.  Community

Build a community of your people. Not so simple when you are older, and even harder when you have a kiddo with a significant disability.  We get stuck in our ways. I know it is difficult to allow someone to into our world, but we need it.  Getting out without our kiddos is sometimes impossible, so during those times invite people in.

Have nobody to invite in? Start a playgroup that you can meet once a month.  Start a book club that you host over zoom. The technology is there. Create what you need. I promise it is possible. This will get you around other adults, and when you do have back up you can have a mom or dad’s night out.  It will reduce some of your stress, make you feel human again, and fill your cup just enough to get through the hard things for a while.

Start here. Try it for a few months and see how it changes you. Start a journal, so you can look back and see how far you have come. Sometimes, when we change things slowly, we don’t realize where we started. You got this!!

If you would like to participate in my research study please click on the link below, I truly appreciate your participation.