One of the hidden secrets of caregiving is thinking smarter not harder.  Gosh knows you work hard.

Time is one of the most valuable things you have going for you right now.  What could you do with an extra hour a week, three hours a week or maybe even an hour a day?  

Could you take time for yourself?   What about time to have coffee with a friend or time to get caught up with your dissertation or write those extra pages for your book.  You fill in the blank when it comes to your time.    Time = joy, Time = well-being,  Time = less stress.  Time = spending time with my Loved One.

1.  Automations - you want to think about everything you do and determine if you can automate it, make things easier, find ways to put into a monthly service.  

• Meal deliveries  
• Local agencies for meal for seniors
• Groceries - deliver, pick up 
• Amazon, Target, Walmart
• Pharmacies deliveries
• Online billing 
• Dr Apt apps - using technology 

2.  Getting Help or Outsourcing or Delegating- I know right away, your thought may go to a couple of areas  - I don’t have $ to pay for help Or, I don’t feel comfortable asking for help Or, I can do it all

• Cleaning lady - do you really need to be spending your time cleaning right now?  Can you ask for help with your Loved Ones home or your home?  
  • If you don’t have the $, can you ask your family or friends to help once in a while?
  • Or can you let the dust be for a day or two.  
  • Maybe it’s only once a month or trade up with someone
• Lawn Service / Snow Removal
• Say yes to meals from friends.    There’s no shame ordering take out - have fun with it - maybe you do it once a week as a treat.   
• Trade work  - use mom’s phone and her newspaper example  
• Shared calendars with family members 
  • They can help with caregiver responsibilities
  • Dr appointment coverage
  • It also helps...

Today we’re talking about being prepared and proactive in this challenging and crazy life you’re living right now.  I want to share my tips based on what has worked for me and what has crashed and burned too. 

You're juggling your work hours, schedule and its demands plus caring for your Loved One.  

Then add the normal every day responsibilities like house chores, meals, errands, etc

Then you have your own personal time (essential plus your personal time)

Picture this:  

• My work calendar is online - on my work laptop - on an outlook calendar

• My Mom’s appointments are on her paper calendar on her bulletin board

• My spouse’s appointments are on his phone and through his doctor’s app and when he or I remember, they are put on the calendar on our refrig

• My business is on my Google calendar

• Then my personal appointments are on post it notes, in your wallet, maybe the refrig calendar and if I am feeling organized, I add them to the refrig calendar.  

Can you relate.  Prior to caregiving, I thought I was organized and actually when I was raising my 3 boys, I used to refer to myself as the project master and knew exactly what was going on at any time.  

Times have changed.  I could psycho- analyze myself,  but I believe it takes a heck of a lot of energy, emotions, patience and time to care for a Loved One.  

So in this episode I want to talk about what you can control and what you can do to be as prepared and organized with your time as possible.  

Disclaimer here - my way is not always the right way for you.   It took me months and months to find what worked for me.  Then…  when I got it right.  The situation changed again.  

You may be saying, why plan and why organize?   

Planning is important because it helps you use your time in the most efficient way. You can realistically...