A Caregiver’s New Year Resolution: Simple Ways to Start Fresh Without Overwhelm
There is no magical reset button on January 1 that allows the caregiver a clean slate. The fatigue doesn’t go away and the responsibilities carry over to the new calendar.
If that is where you find yourself today, take heart. You don’t have to make big goals, create perfect systems, or make drastic changes to make things feel fresh. Think realignment, not reinvention.
Here are some simple, realistic ways to freshen up your caregiving year without adding pressure to an already full life.
Let Go of the Idea of “Perfect”
The idea that the new year will be perfect if it comes with detailed plans, ambitious goals, and total organization is overwhelming—and unrealistic. Caregivers whose days are already a balancing act between work, care, and unpredictable setbacks won’t even want to try. They will feel like they lost the game before they ever took the field.
Instead of asking, “How do I fix everything?” try asking:
What tasks can I let go of this year?
What expectations no longer fit with my family’s situation?
What lesson did I learn last year that can be applied this year?
The new year doesn’t have to include a complete overhaul. Recognize the limitations of time, money, and ability to give yourself permission to take a slower, steadier pace.
2. Choose One Small Focus, Not Many Goals
Caregivers often feel the pressure to improve every area of life all at once—health, faith, finances, routines. Trying to do everything, be everything to everyone in your own power, will quickly lead to discouragement.
Consider choosing one small thing to focus on:
Creating a new morning routine
Being more honest about asking for help
Making space for moments of prayer and rest
Giving yourself time to see to your own health needs
Let the one small change take effect and become comfortable before choosing whether or not to tackle the next thing on the list.
3. Evaluate Your Expectations, Not Just Your Plans
Expectations can be shaped by a lot of different influences in the caregiver’s life. Sometimes they just don’t match the reality of a situation, or honor God, and need to be reassessed. Things to ask yourself:
What is possible right now?
Am I holding myself to unrealistic standards because of family expectations?
Am I comparing myself to someone else needlessly?
Be truthful when you reflect on who or what is shaping your idea of the things that need to be done. As a Christian family caregiver, it is important that your first thought is to honor God with your life. As long as you are doing that, there is a lot of wiggle room for the individual choices you make to suit the needs of your specific situation with the loved one in your care.
4. Don’t Start Planning a Garage Sale, But Do Clean Up
You don’t need to have a full ‘jump into early spring cleaning’ to start cleaning up your home. Find small things to organize until the whole job is done.
Clean one drawer, bag, or surface a day
Update your medication list, throw out expired products
Prepare a “caregiver essentials” basket or a freezer meal for long days
Choose something you can complete in 30 minutes or less. Finishing something small will give you more energy to do the next task, as well as give you hope that the big list will be accomplished eventually.
5. Make Room for Spiritual Renewal
This may seem daunting for the caregiver who often has an unpredictable schedule and limited time to themselves. But it is an important part of the life of a Christian and essential when we go through difficult times of life. Here are some suggestions for some small ways to include time with God during this season:
Put notecards with encouraging scripture in areas you will see them
Start and end each day in prayer, even if it is only a few moments
Sing songs of praise or listen to an audio version of the Bible as you complete routine tasks
God is our refuge in times of trouble and compassionate to the brokenhearted. Find your strength in him daily as you provide care.
Remember that a resolutions don’t have to be dramatic or exciting to make a difference. Little changes can build exponentially over time and you are running a race of endurance, not a sprint. Keep making changes as you need them and know that you are not alone on this journey.
Bonus tip: think about how your support system can get involved. Do you have a friend who loves to tackle a laundry pile or a neighbor who will bring you dinner? Free up some of your time to do only what you as the caregiver can provide and let someone else tackle the honey-do list.
Find more resources for family caregivers at www.heartease.org. Our mission is to equip you to grow in faith and ability as a caregiver. Leave a prayer request, read daily devotionals, and find practical help from people that have been on a similar journey.
