Self-care for caregivers: managing stress and burnout

The first step in practicing self-care is to set achievable goals. These can include goals for your self-care plan and goals that’ll bring more happiness and joy into your life.

Research shows that being flexible with the goals you set will help you feel better. According to PubMed, caregivers who can let go of unachievable goals and shift their focus to new, attainable goals tend to experience less anxiety, stress, and depression.

Incorporate stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises into your daily routine—especially if you’re feeling anxious.

Research from Georgetown University Medical Center shows that a meditation therapy called MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) is as effective as antidepressants for treating anxiety disorders. So when the stress hits, you can also practice MBSR.

What logistical, emotional, physical, or financial problems are you experiencing as a caregiver? Is it challenging to drive your loved one to and from medical appointments and activities? Is it hard to help them adhere to their diet and provide meals? What about making sure they aren’t experiencing loneliness or depression?

List your specific challenges and identify which problems are the most stressful. Then research potential solutions to alleviate the stress. For example, if you’re having a hard time driving older adults to appointments, you can book a service like Uber that’ll handle door-to-door transportation for you.

Coordinating care is stressful to 70% of dementia caregivers, according to 2024 research from the Alzheimer’s Association. While these stats come from dementia caregivers, the sentiment can apply to any caregiver.

It’s hard to coordinate care and communicate among family members, friends, and healthcare professionals. Do yourself a favor and set aside time at the beginning of each week to discuss needs, schedules, and concerns. This way, everyone involved in caring for the older adult is on the same page.

Don’t hesitate to delegate tasks and seek support from others. Studies show that caregivers who actively seek and accept help experience lower levels of burnout and stress.

Mayo Clinic suggests building a support network to help reduce stress. This can mean talking about your problems and meeting for coffee (more on this below). But it can also mean finding a group of people who’ll step in and handle caretaking tasks when you need a break.

Sometimes feelings of burnout and overwhelm can be symptoms of more serious mental or physical health problems.

While caretaking can contribute to these feelings, it’s important to talk with a physician regularly and make sure you aren’t dealing with a larger health issue.

In addition to checking on your mental health, remember to schedule your annual wellness visits.

You don’t have to be a world-class athlete to feel the positive effects of exercise. Research shows that even moderate exercise produces “feel-good chemicals” (endorphins) and increases positive feelings.

Identify what kind of movement you like, and schedule it into your daily routine. When you exercise, you have more energy, feel calmer, and cope with stress better.

Emotions exist for a reason. They are responses to your environment and signals from your brain that something is right or wrong in your life.

CareYaya recommends that caregivers take time to reflect on their emotions and find healthy outlets for them to improve their emotional health, including things like journaling, painting, and music.

By processing emotions and discussing them in supportive environments, caregivers reduce feelings of frustration and burnout. Healthy outlets for emotions include talking with friends or professionals, engaging in hobbies, or practicing mindfulness.