With the New Year starting, now is the time for many people to begin their resolutions. Typically, the top goals are to diet or eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, save more, spend less, and learn a new hobby or skill. While a New Year’s resolution can be an admirable ambition, sticking to it for the next 12 months is often easier said than done, especially when you have the added responsibility of caring for a loved one. Rather than quitting before you start, it’s important to set practical goals that position you for success rather than failure.
12 Practical New Year’s Resolutions for the Busy Caregiver
Here, we’re putting a twist on some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions so, despite your busy schedule, you can start the year feeling motivated and ready to thrive.
1. Eat Healthier
When you’re running around all day with things to do, it’s easy to grab whatever’s convenient — and this often includes processed snacks from vending machines or going through a fast-food drive-through window. However, while these types of options may hit the spot short-term, they also increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
To make it easier for you to eat healthy, bring your own lunches from home, if possible. Make sure that most of your meals include vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. These are low in calories and nutrient-dense. Pay close attention to their fiber and protein content so that you feel satisfied and fuller for longer. Substitute sodas for flavored sparkling water. Keep healthy foods available for snacking — such as apple slices and almond butter, carrots and hummus, pistachios, or berries. Also, get in the habit of reading labels, since a lot of products in the market are thought to be healthy, but are actually loaded with sugar and unpronounceable ingredients created in a lab.
While eating healthy should always be a top priority, without any parameters, this resolution can quickly become overwhelming and difficult to follow. Instead, consider making your goal more specific. For example, you might introduce a “Meatless Monday” or commit to introducing new fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet each week. Eliminate unnecessary sugars (like those in soda) and vow to drink more water.
2. Focus on Your Own Physical and Mental Health
When you spend so much time thinking about your loved one’s welfare, it’s easy to forget about your own health needs! It’s important to follow through with your appointments, screenings, and exams to make sure you’re feeling your best. Maybe you also have some health-related goals you’d like to achieve: weight loss, physical fitness, lowering your cholesterol, or finding a therapist. The sooner you take care of your own health needs, the better you’ll feel and the more equipped you’ll be to care for your loved one.
3. Prioritize Sleep
We tend to underestimate just how much sleep affects our overall health. For caregivers who juggle multiple responsibilities, it’s even more difficult to get the recommended seven to eight hours of shut-eye nightly. Getting enough sleep is vital to improving your health and happiness. Try starting small by setting your bedtime 30 minutes earlier than usual, then add another 15 minutes, and so on, until you’re logging at least seven hours of sleep each night. You can also get a smartwatch that will help track your sleep so you can identify healthier patterns. Fitbit Sense gives you a daily look at your light, deep, REM, and awake times, and you can check in on how your night compares to the last month and other people your age.
4. Exercise Regularly
Like making healthy food choices, exercise should also be part of your daily routine. That being said, it can be tough to find time to get to the gym or go out for a run, especially during the winter. Rather than making it a goal to exercise more in the New Year, pledge to move more this year. This can take shape in a variety of ways, from opting for the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk during your lunch break to taking a free workout class in the comfort of your own home. If your loved one is feeling up to it, you might even invite them to go for a stroll with you, as we can all benefit from some fresh air.
Exercising regularly has many benefits, such as helping you maintain a healthy weight, making you feel good as you release endorphins, and promoting good mental health. It also makes your body circulate blood better and lower the risk of many common diseases, including Type II diabetes, certain cancers, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
5. Set Aside the Scale
Instead of fixating on a number on the scale, make this year the year that you focus on how your body actually feels. While maintaining a healthy weight is important, track your progress by keeping a fitness journal to help you reach your goals. Remember that although you are caring for a loved one, your wellness shouldn’t go on the back burner, so be sure to make time for self-care.
6. Shop Consciously
While saving more and spending less might sound like a simple enough resolution, we all know that various needs (and wants) will inevitably pop up throughout the year. Whether you’re shopping for groceries, clothing, household items, or other goods, commit to spending your money more consciously. This means making informed choices that align with your personal values and supporting companies (especially local ones!) that follow ethical business practices, as well as being aware of your own consumption.
7. Learn a New Hobby or Skill
This resolution doesn’t need much updating, since learning something new should always be a welcome challenge. And with the rise in popularity of apps like Duolingo and Codeacademy, you can gain new skills—like how to speak in a foreign language or how to code—without even leaving the house. Your loved one might even like to join you!
8. Plan Ahead
No one wants to think about death, but it’s incredibly important to have a plan in place ahead of time. You may be surprised by how relieved you feel once this is solidified. Check if your loved one has a living will, durable power-of-attorney, and a last will and testament set up. If they do not, make an appointment to speak with an attorney. Having these documents in place will give you and your friend or family member some peace of mind to handle emergency medical situations that may arise and a sense of comfort about the inevitable future.
9. Delegate Where You Can
Do you have any siblings, children, friends, or family members who could help share some responsibilities? Even if they don’t live nearby, they can help by being responsible for paying a loved one’s bills or checking in with their doctors, or even setting up a weekly call to help ensure your sick friend or family member is getting regular social contact. You may try to do everything yourself, but it’s important to ask for help so that you don’t burn yourself out. You might even be surprised how willing people are to step up and take on a new task, so make sure to be ready with suggestions!
10. Be Kind to Yourself
It is important that you acknowledge and respect your own emotions and stress level. It is normal to feel overwhelmed at times and happy during other times. Show yourself some kindness and know that your feelings are valid! Take a deep inhale and work to assess why you are feeling that way and what you can do to change it.
11. Take Time For Yourself
Your needs are as important as everyone else’s. You already dedicate your life to caring for others, and taking time to do things you enjoy not only makes you happier, it also makes you a better caregiver. For example, running like a headless chicken from one shift to another — without taking time to do things to decompress — can leave you feeling resentful and burned out.
While sleeping enough hours, eating well, and exercising will do wonders to improve your quality of life, taking time to do leisure activities — such as watching your favorite TV shows, knitting, or reading a good book is the equivalent of taking a mental and emotional vacation. It lets you stop worrying for an hour or two, and just enjoy yourself.
12. Learn to Manage Stress
It has become so common for people to always be busy and hustling, feeling stressed out is seen as normal. But it isn’t. Being in a constant state of stress increases the risk of disease, affects relationships, and makes it more likely for you to become depressed.
There are many ways to help you manage stress. Finding a hobby you love, meditating, talking with your friends, or even dancing to your favorite songs at home are good ways to decompress. They also give you something to look forward to — and having that anticipation feeling gives you hope and helps you get through difficult moments.
Join the Care Options for Kids Team!
Are you ready for meaningful work that comes with benefits and not burnout? Join the compassionate care team that helps children and families live their best lives. Our clinicians provide best-in-class pediatric nursing, therapy, and school-based services. We bring individualized care to children where they live, work, and play. We have opportunities in homes, schools, and clinics across the country.
Apply at Care Options for Kids now. We make it easy to start so you can make a difference as soon as possible.
