I am in a kind of odd situation. My husband 75 w/Parkinson's, myself disabled due to multiple illnesses,daughter,son-in-law, and 6 kids share a home. My husband needs someone available at least in hearing distance at all times. 99.9% of the time I am that person. What are some small inexpensive things I can do to "treat" myself so I don't get overwhelmed by feeling hubby and kids come first and I am somewhere way way down the list.
Hi, Lizzy -
I love your question about finding some ways to treat yourself. In my caregiving experience, even getting a small bit of "me time" felt huge. Going for a walk, if the weather was nice, or having maybe 30 minutes to rest or read - these were my go-to's, I love to bake and have always found it really relaxing, so planning ahead as much as I could to have ingredients on hand to try a new recipe was another way I could treat myself (both with the time doing something I enjoy but sometimes struggled to find the time to do and a - hopefully - delicious cookie or piece of fresh bread later).
Your mileage will vary, of course, but prioritizing those (admittedly sometimes rare) quieter moments to do something that brought me comfort and joy - and usually at very low to no cost - kept me from feeling overwhelmed.
I know that things like these can feel "easier said than done" but I hope this helps. :)
Nichole