Caring for Others and Some-Day-Itis

by Michelle H Smith

"Some day I'll take a trip to one of the places I dreamed of visiting as a child."

"Some day  I'll begin writing my autobiography."

"Some day I'll go to India and ride naked on a llama (Ok, not so much)"

Do you see where I'm going with this?  Constantly putting off the things you could be doing today because you are caring for others is not much more than having a case of Some-Day-Itis.  And being stuck there is not only leading a life that's less fruitful.  It will open the door to stress and resentment of life.

Neglecting to do the things that will enrich your own life because you are so busy caring for others is the result of one of two things:

• Paralysis of Analysis
• Overly attending to others
  

Paralysis of analysis is when you are so focused on the details of a thing that you do nothing.  Sometimes, in life you just need to take risks.  Of course, you want to be informed before making big decisions but that doesn't mean you have to take five years of French before you book that trip to the French Riviera (oh wait that's my dream).  You get the picture.

Caregivers tend to care so much for others that they leave no time to care for themselves.

I love to write. I love to shop and I love to go to the movies. I love to do a lot of things.  Yet, if I allowed myself to care sooo much for my son Christopher, I'd never do anything of the things that I love to do that are just for me.

Just because you have the huge responsibility of caring for others doesn't mean you have to stop caring for yourself.  On the contrary.  You need to find a balance between the two. You'll be a much more effective caregiver and live a fuller life in the process.

For the next few posts, I'll share ways you can make time for yourself so you can enjoy doing more of the things YOU love to do.  And yes, you're allowed to love doing stuff that has nothing to do with your loved one.

Do you have any strategies for balancing the time you spend caregiving and the time you spend just doing you?  Shere them in the comments below.

Until next time,

Michelle's a down to earth mom of a special needs little boy, Christopher. She spends part of her personal time helping others. Michelle is Creator of the Stress Less Recipe - a series of tips and tools to help other caregivers manage and prevent stress in their own lives. Subscribe to the Stress Less Recipe and receive bonus tips for finding a new sense of freedom today.