We regularly see men and women who are ‘busy people’ – the type who always seem to be rushing to and fro, and maintaining many balls in the air at one time. In fact, these people make fantastic caregivers, because it’s easy for them, in their minds, to take on the additional tasks of caring for the life of another individual. But sometimes, it’s the busy people who don’t realize that they’ve become too busy – there are too many balls in the air. Because they are accustomed to, and usually prefer to be busy, they tend to neglect the signs that they have too much for one person on their plate. So how do they tell? What are the benchmark warnings?
- There are not enough hours in the day. If you find yourself up late because you are stressed about the additional tasks that you haven’t completed, chances are you have too many tasks.
- Your social life has become non-existent. If socializing has fallen off your priority list, you are doing too many chores. Human connection is a basic need for everyone – even the busy people!
- You feel overwhelmed by your daily activities. If you look at your To Do list and begin to feel overwhelmed, or even depressed, you need to cut it down.
- You can’t say ‘no’. Try saying no once in a while. If you find that you can’t, this is a warning to yourself that you’re letting people pile your plate too high.
- You are exhausted or getting sick more often. When you are working too hard, and becoming exhausted, stressed, or depressed, your body’s immune system is functioning extra hard to keep you going. This means that you have lower defense against viruses, and are susceptible to everything that’s going around.
If anything on this list stood out as a symptom you are noticing in yourself or someone else, you need to decrease your load. Asking for extra help from other family members with caregiving, or taking on a part-time caregiver to assist with your chores will help you get your health and your life back.