Tips for Managing Stress

“It's not the stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.” —Hans Selye

There are times when caregiver stress cannot be avoided, but it can be managed. Here are some ways to help you maintain your well-being:

Delegate responsibilities to other family members or to service providers in the community.
Take care of your physical health. Eat balanced meals, get adequate sleep, and exercise regularly.
Take time for yourself. Schedule time away from your caregiving duties. Keep involved with activities that are important to you.
Continue at least some of the social activities that you enjoy. This is not the time to lose contact with friends and family members.
Avoid negative ways of coping with stress. Overeating, alcohol and drug misuse and directing your stress at someone else are destructive ways of dealing with your problems.
Encourage the care-receiver to be as independent as possible. Work together to solve problems.
Say no to projects that won't fit into your time schedule or will compromise your mental health.
Simplify and de-clutter your life.
Allow extra time to do things and get to places.
Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time. Don't lump the hard things all together.
Talk less and listen more.
Locate a support group. Caregivers need others who understand what they are experiencing and who will listen to their feelings and needs.
Learn relaxation techniques like deep breathing or taking a mind vacation.

Print a copy of Stress Management Tips then check the boxes of the suggestions from the first section of the handout that you might try. suggestions from the first section .

Many of these suggestions may not be new to you, but if you don't try them, they won't be of help. It may take several attempts before you notice a change in your level of stress.