What is a work-life balance? How do you achieve a healthy work-life balance when you feel pulled in different directions? Sometimes, it helps to learn your limits. Here are some tips that can help you achieve a healthier lifestyle when you work and care for a parent.
Know When to Say No
You have to know when to tell others no. It’s hard, but it’s also necessary. You’re with your mom the minute you leave work. You then have to cook her dinner, help her get ready for bed, go home, and help your kids with their homework.
Suppose your neighbors stop by and ask you if you can let their dog out in the morning and evening while they’re away. You don’t have the time, so make sure you explain that as much as you’d like to help, you can’t fit it in. If they need the help, they could pay one of your children or a neighborhood teen to help.
Don’t Take On More Than You Have To
Don’t do more than you have to each day. You work an eight-hour day and also care for your mom. It’s already stretching you thin, so don’t add more chores to your list. For example, you’ve noticed your mom’s deck needs staining. Don’t feel you have to do it.
Talk to your siblings about their schedules and the things your mom’s home needs to have completed before winter arrives. Let them handle some of those chores, rather than adding to your list.
Never Forget About Self-Care
Do not lose track of self-care. You need to have time for yourself every day. Take a fitness class or do a home workout, go for a walk, or find a quiet space and read a book. Make sure you’re doing something you love each day, to de-stress and unwind.
Invest in a Slow Cooker
Have you considered the benefits of a slow cooker? You can have dinner prepped and started in the morning, and not have to rush to get a meal together after work.
Take time each weekend to prep ingredients and have them in the freezer or refrigerator. In the morning, transfer the items to the slow cooker, stir them, and set it on low for eight hours. With everything prepped and ready to use, it’s easy to put a soup, stew, casserole, or pot roast together for weekly dinners.
If you need some inspiration, one of the easiest meals is to mix a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, chopped kale, chopped onion, half-cup of barley, a can of low-sodium chickpeas, large can of diced tomatoes, and six cups of unsalted bone broth. It’s a vegetable-rich soup with whole grains and legumes for fiber.
Have Others Help Out
Elder care services support your mom, while also supporting you. If you haven’t looked into the benefits of respite care services, it’s time. Elder care is the best way to achieve the healthy work-life balance you need. Call now.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Respite Care in Buckeye, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings for Seniors Companion Care at (623) 594-0819.
Blessings for Seniors makes it possible for older adults to enjoy the comforts of their own home for as long as possible. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as; Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans’ Home Care program.
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