10 Soul-Healing Tips to Help Prevent Caregiver Burnout

What would happen to a car that, day in and day out, simply never stopped running? Easy: it’d break down. This is what happens to caregivers when they don’t stop and take care of themselves.

A certain amount of stress is normal, especially when providing consistent care. But when you’re plagued by constant exhaustion, disinterest in activities you used to love or feel like you have absolutely nothing left to give, you may be experiencing caregiver burnout.

In this article, we lay out the symptoms and causes of this serious condition and provide healing tips to avoid burning out.

Use These Links to Navigate the Guide:

Defining caregiver burnout

Symptoms

Causes

Tips for caregivers

Caregiver resources

What is Caregiver Burnout?

Caregiver burnout is the significant physical, mental and emotional fatigue one experiences when providing long-term care for another. This can be confused with caregiver stress, a condition which is still cause for concern, but often is the precursor to the more severe caregiver burnout syndrome. Caregiver burnout can also be confused with compassion fatigue, though the two differ.

Caregiver Burnout Vs Compassion Fatigue: What’s the Difference?

While caregiver burnout is specific to caregivers, compassion fatigue is more general and is characterized by feeling overwhelmed by the suffering of others. In the past, compassion fatigue was an issue that commonly plagued health care professionals. People who work in the medical field frequently see or hear about tragedies most of us don’t want to even imagine. However, due to the Internet and smartphones, we now have instant access to all kinds of suffering. We can scroll through tragic news stories, videos, social media posts… the list goes on.

Signs of compassion fatigue include feeling hopeless, increased complaining and feeling excessively burdened by the suffering of others.

Symptoms of Caregiver Burnout

Some of the signs of caregiver burnout are similar to compassion fatigue and caregiver stress. However, there are serious symptoms that specifically suggest you’ve been burned out:

Physical symptoms:

  • Rapid change in weight or appetite
  • Body aches
  • Migraines or persistent headaches
  • Getting sick more often and for longer
  • Exhaustion you can’t shake, regardless of sleep

Emotional symptoms:

  • Feeling hopeless, like your stress will never end
  • Depression
  • Anxiety/Panic attacks
  • Feeling betrayed or alone
  • Isolating yourself
  • Low self-esteem, worthlessness

Causes of Caregiver Burnout

Burnout can be traced back to many sources. However, three common causes of caregiver burnout include: the burden of the actual caregiving tasks, self-inflicted pressure and lack of adequate rest.

Caregivers do so much more than the name implies. Not only do they offer emotional support for their loved ones, but they also typically engage in burdensome tasks that can heap on the stress. According to caregiver demographics from the Family Caregiver Alliance, those who provide support for a loved one spend shocking amounts of time on these tasks.

In an average month, caregivers spend this much time assisting their loved one:

  • 13 days shopping, preparing meals, cleaning the house, driving and giving medication
  • 6 days feeding, dressing, grooming, walking, bathing and assistance toileting
  • 13 hours researching care services and disease information, coordinating doctors’ appointments and managing finances

Another cause of burnout is pressure. Pressure comes at care providers from all sides, whether it be from family members or the care receiver. However, the main source of this tension actually comes from the caregivers themselves. Roughly half of caregivers report feeling like they don’t have a choice about performing clinical duties and that this feeling is self-inflicted. They feel like caregiving is a personal responsibility because no one else can do it or because financial constraints prevent them from getting professional assistance.

Finally, when caregivers forego the physical and mental care they need themselves, burnout is basically inevitable. This can look like consistently getting less than 7-8 hours of sleep, having trouble finding time to eat regular meals and spending little to no time on vacation, with friends or partaking in hobbies. It’s an unfortunate statistic that unpaid caregivers report positive activities in their respective daily lives have been reduced 27.2% due to their responsibilities.

Tips to Avoid and Recover from Caregiver Burnout?

Even if you feel like you’ll never get back your energy, don’t worry. We offer healing advice from actual care providers and other leaders in self-care to help you get your spark back. Here are 10 inspiring tips to help prevent caregiver burnout.

1. Rally your community for support

O'Donnell Family & Friends Gathering for Picnic
O’Donnell Family & Friends Gathering for Picnic

You’d be surprised how much support you can get just by asking for it. Don’t downplay what you’re going through or worry about being a burden on others. Ask your neighbors, coworkers, friends and family for the help you need. In most cases, they’ll gladly go above and beyond your call for aid!

“Just recently my husband at 47 had triple bypass surgery. I had constant help from my circle of friends, neighbors, community, family and church. I had meals brought in for 3 weeks, my mother in law stayed with me for 8 weeks, neighbors called and helped with rides for my boys, sisters from church send me cards, messages to uplift our soul. My attitude was wonderful. I had a phrase that I constantly repeated: Smile and wave. It helped a lot.” 

Yvette Perez Stevenson

2. Check in with yourself every single day

The irony of caregiving is that the person giving so much to others frequently forgets to give themselves the same treatment. Try taking a few minutes of alone time each night and asking yourself these 6 questions:

  1. Did I get 7-8 hours of sleep last night?
  2. Did I eat 3 meals and a snack today?
  3. Did I drink 8 glasses of water today?
  4. Did I get any exercise today?
  5. Did I spend time on an activity I enjoy today?
  6. Did I spend time with someone other than the person I care for?

If the answer to more than one of these questions is no, it’s time to reevaluate your daily schedule. Sleep, proper nutrition and hobbies are all human necessities, and you deserve them just as much as anyone else. It’s time to make time for you.

“For the time when my daughter was at the hospital, my husband stayed nights 10 pm-10 am, and I stayed days 10 am to 10 pm. We spent about 20 min on each end overlapping so we could just talk and catch up. This schedule kept me from feeling guilty about not being there at night. It was their time to be together. Do what works for you. Actually, let that be your guiding principle. Many people will tell you what you “Should” do, but they don’t know your family like you do. Be open to suggestions and definitely accept help, but don’t feel bad about any of your decisions. You do you.”

Anonymous

3. Give yourself some appreciation

A recent caregiver appreciation study found that caregivers who feel more appreciated experience greater emotional wellbeing. Sometimes, due to illnesses or disabilities, the loved ones caregivers provide for cannot adequately show appreciation for all their help. A lack of appreciation is discouraging for caregivers and can easily fester into resentment.

Fortunately, there are a few helpful tactics you can try to get the recognition you deserve:

  • Join an online support group to hear kind words.
  • Don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back and care for the caregiver. Treat yourself to a massage, a nice meal or a new pair of shoes at the end of a hard week.
  • If you feel comfortable, try asking a good friend, family member or partner to send you a thank you note once a month. Though the message may not be from the care receiver, it can feel really good to receive recognition and gratitude from those around you.
  • Finally, if appreciation is something your care receiver can feasibly work on, consider talking to them gently about how good it would make you feel to hear them share the occasional word of gratitude.

Do anything you have to. I mean it. This is now survival mode. You want to cook beans on the stove in the can cause it reminds you of camping? Good. He wants nothing but pancakes and maple syrup and butter to eat? Wonderful, it’s calories to keep him alive. . . Eventually you find something to grab on to. Anything, anyone. It will happen. It won’t be pretty and won’t look real helpful. It will be tiny and look useless. Grab it anyway. Then keep going.

Cheryl

4. Practice forgiveness and gratitude

Caregivers are tough cookies, but there’s no such thing as perfection. Perfectionism, blame and self-loathing all contribute to caregiver burnout. Focusing on self-forgiveness, and also forgiving those around you, is incredibly healing. For inspiration, try this creative forgiveness prompt to help you write, paint or speak your story and achieve peace.

And don’t forget to take time to step out of your daily routine to reflect on what you’re grateful for, whether it be big or small. You can be thankful for the help being offered by others, for the beautiful weather or for yourself. You’ll feel the pressure begin to lift as you practice being grateful each day.

5. Learn to accept help from others

You can do this. But you can’t do this alone. Caregivers often bring stress upon themselves simply because they won’t allow others to pitch in. Listen to these caregivers below who found the help of others to be critical in avoiding burnout:

“Learn to accept help. If you can afford to hire to clean your home once a month or to plow your driveway, do it. Walk. See your friends for a meal periodically. A massage. Eat healthy. Get rest. Only do the necessities. Make meals in bulk and freeze them. Turn off negativity such as the news. Don’t let toxic people into your life. Pray.”

Kelly Slusarski Frank

“Accept help from others! There are so many that want to help. You can’t possibly do it all by yourself. Even if it is the littlest thing!”

Shauna Wischnewski Joas

When you’re going through a health journey, you have a lot on your plate. CaringBridge replaces the time-consuming task of sharing your health news over and over. It’s a free, easy-to-use online journal for sharing health information with your family and friends. You can start a CaringBridge site today in less than five minutes.

Additionally, you can use the Planner through a CaringBridge site to help you coordinate and share caring tasks. It’s a simple, effective way to get others involved with providing care.

Don’t go through your health journey alone.

You can stay connected to friends and family, plan and coordinate meals, and experience love from any distance.

All of this is ready for you when you start your personal CaringBridge site, which is completely free of charge, ad-free, private and secure. Don’t spend another minute alone!

6. Cultivate hobbies as an outlet for stress

You may spend a significant portion of your time providing care, but it’s important to remember that your identity is so much more than that. Be intentional about keeping your interests alive so you can channel the strain of being a caregiver in a positive way and get back to being yourself.

“Allow yourself to be defined as anything but a caregiver, if you spend an inordinate amount of time giving care…cultivate hobbies as ways to be known, so that others know what to talk about other than the caretaking you do (they probably secretly admire you and may want to focus on that aspect of who you are).”

Shelli Tacheny Laudet

“I have made myself return to teaching/participating in martial arts, albeit in short duration’s, but it’s the break I need.”

Jamie Casteel

“Spend one hour alone each day. Not running errands or doing chores. Spend your time alone in a quiet place to decompress, to pray to relive good memories. Spend one hour for you.”

Sheila Harris

7. Get organized

What feels more chaotic than disorganization? Not much. Introducing structure and order into your life is a great defense against stressors and gives you back control. When everything is in its place, that’s one less thing to worry about. For caregivers, this could look like:

  • Organizing all medical files into a designated folder for easy access.
  • Keeping a color-coded daily planner.
  • Making sure your vehicle is cleaned regularly.
  • Rearranging your closet, pantry and bathrooms so you never have to frantically search for that favorite sweater, the garlic powder or the mirror cleaner.

8. Minimize decisions

The sheer amount of decisions you have to make on a daily basis can be one of the most stressful parts of caregiving (and can actually cause what’s known as decision fatigue). Finding ways to lower the amount of choices you have to make is a surefire way to avoid burnout. Here are a few of our suggestions:

  • Stick to a consistent daily care schedule, so that you know what’s coming.
  • Get serious about meal prepping.
  • Pick out clothes beforehand for the whole week. Many successful business people wear the same outfits nearly every day to avoid that pesky decision fatigue.

9. Talk with a professional therapist

You can’t care for others without caring for yourself. So many caregivers reach unmanageable levels of stress because they don’t have someone to talk honestly with about their experiences. Don’t neglect your mental health. Try making an appointment with a therapist to see how they can help you overcome or avoid caregiver burnout.

10. Join a support group

One of the most distressing symptoms of caregiver burnout is feeling isolated. But remember this: You are truly not alone. Joining a caregiver support group can be one of the most therapeutic and powerful actions you can take for self-care. The benefits of support groups include healing loneliness, improving coping skills and encouraging honest and open communication.

Keep on coping, caregivers

Caregivers have been referred to by health professionals as “the hidden patients.” When self-care is left to the wayside, the effects can be damaging. But don’t be scared: by prioritizing your mental and physical health, you can successfully avoid caregiver burnout and get back in touch with yourself.

Caregiver Assistant and Support Groups
AARP (1-888) 687-2277
Elizabeth Dole Foundation Hidden Heroes (202) 249-7171
Family Caregiver Alliance (1-800) 445-8106
Caregiver.com (954) 893-0550
Caregiver Action Network (202) 454-3970
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (229) 928-1234
Veterans Affairs Caregiver Support Program (855) 260-3274
Well Spouse Association (1-800) 838-0879

Additionally, the greatest source of hope and healing is the love of family and friends. Keep your community updated and informed on your health journey with a CaringBridge website.

Caregiver burnout quiz

Gaining an awareness of how you’re doing is the first step to feeling better. This straightforward caregiver burnout quiz will help you understand if symptoms indicate burnout.

Share your self-care tips with the CaringBridge community

We want your advice! How have you managed the emotional and physical tolls of caregiving? Please comment below and help thousands of our readers avoid or recover from caregiver burnout.

  • Barb weldon

    I feel like two different people live in my body.
    My husband has dementia, I feel so heartbroken for him but I feel such a loss and am so stressed. Some days I feel I can do this and am patient then boom…. I loss my temper and can’t get back. I realize
    I am trying to control something that can’t be controlled. Even the smallest thing takes so much work.

  • Tanya

    You know, these are all great suggestions, but when you have no one to help you care for a loved one, they are pretty useless.

  • belphagor

    when she became paraplegic, i put the brakes on a very promising and upward career..no so siblings, dad died. i took care of my mom as best i could, im a male, from age 24-32. i moved back into her basement, i should have been in hollywood. The worst of it was/is knowing that i wasnt really THAT helpful..by that i mean to say ..I’m not a Doctor or lawyer.. and even if I were, its highly unlikely that I’d be curing cancer/paraplegia anytime soon.she had cnas (mostly horrible) so i didnt really bathe etc..honestly, in our dynamic, i’m certain that would have been outright humiliating for both parties..i feel mostly like i was there to be an emotional tampon and to be bankrupted..i loved my mom sure..but yeah, i guess i’m sometimes bitter…not towards her even, it wasnt her fault.. just fate i suppose.,she died, on my birthday 🙁 and medicaid is wanting my house etc. ..its an outright NIGHTMARE.. for the last 3 years, i had a wonderful fiance and was actually happy..that went to shit…prob never her see again..now i..i dont know..im just hooked on crystal meth…barely any friends..used to be popular..idk.. i guess you could say, “it fucked me up”. I fear I may not have many of the coping abilities enjoyed by my peers. Virtually all aspects of my adult life has been tremendously skewed/stunted. I will be 34 soon. I am seeing that there is shortage of attractive single women without children etc…only massively beneficial outlet has been ‘Theistic Satanism’. Thats all i’ve got to add to the discussion..

  • Bonnie L Barraclough

    Do you know of an online support group I can join? I need this.

  • Karen R.

    I had to laugh to myself. “Be sure to keep your car clean.” Is that after I organize my toiletries, kitchen and meal planning? Those all seem to be luxuries. I was stopped by an officer six months after I should have replaced my annual license tab. My rule would be “remember to check your gas, and repleace your tabs as the law requires”.

  • Cheryl

    If you are lucky enough to have or be or be able to do any of the things on the list, good on you. But most of us won’t and don’t and can’t.
    So to us I say, the first thing is yes, it really is just you. It’s horrible and awful and you should be angry and upset, at least for a while. And no, you won’t be able to reach out for help, because all of your strength is tied up in just surviving and doing that next load of laundry and figuring out how to run to the food store while he’s asleep, hoping he doesn’t wake up and try to get to the bathroom on his own.
    Do anything you have to. I mean it. This is now survival mode. You want to cook beans on the stove in the can cause it reminds you of camping? Good. He wants nothing but pancakes and maple syrup and butter to eat? Wonderful, it’s calories to keep him alive. Anyone says anything else is wrong, wrong on a stick , so very very wrongness.
    Eventually you find something to grab on to. Anything, anyone. It will happen. It won’t be pretty and won’t look real helpful. It will be tiny and look useless. Grab it anyway. Then keep going.
    I love you.

  • Terra Shay

    god this list pisses me off! If I could do these things, and truly absorb them, maybe I wouldn’t have this debilitating burnout. Rote platitudes. All around, everywhere, every damn day … rote platitudes.

  • Cheryl johnston

    Thank you. I find I have been yelling at family that is not helping and now we aren’t speaking. That did not get me help!

  • KAW

    This was a wonderful read! I want to go to the Caregiver Cafe!!!!!!
    My mantra is patient and kind. One day at a time…….

  • ELL

    My husband has had back-to-back health issues that overlap. I understand the importance of all this good advice, but SERIOUSLY: until we fix the health insurance crisis in this country, financial burdens make “self-care” items like therapy, massage, pedicures, lunches out, vacations (ha!!!!), etc. COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE, SO PLEASE QUIT SUGGESTING THEM UNLESS YOU PLAN TO OFFER THEM FREE TO CAREGIVERS!!! Someday I will not be a caregiver, I think, and if I win the lottery, I will open. “Caregiver Cafe” whee everything will be free and we’ll offer everything a caregiver wants and create a no-judgment policy where people can vent or cry or curse or pray celebrate or whatever they want and NONE of it will be judged. I feel very lucky to live in a suburban town with lots of supportive friends, especially since my own family is all far away. Thanks for listening to this three-year caregiver vent!

  • Pat Reinhardt

    My daughter in law cares tirelessly with her kids and the eldest is special needs. I am so glad to have received this on my fb feed. I am now so much more informed about her situation. Thank you for thy his great article. I give her and my son some kid free weekends and I get to enjoy the kids. It’s a win win situation.

  • Ethel Stewart

    It’s ok to say no. Well-meaning people and family can put unrealistic burdens on you based on what they feel should be done. No your limits and say no without looking back.

  • julie shade

    I have taken care of my husband for many years, I haven’t learn to stop I work full time, do everything from housework to yard work plus take care of my mom yard. My husband is disabled and now on dialysis for the past year and a half. With the medical bills piled high I don’t know what to do . Saving is gone and between my pay and his disability check they say we make to much. I feel lost. So i just hold tight to our dog and pray at night. May husband some day say he doesn’t think he can do dialysis for seven years. Some day because of his pain he just would like to give up but because of me he holds on.
    Thank you for listening to all of us that need to have some one listen. God bless you all!

  • Tori Woods

    money to have my home cleaned would be awesome. money for that massage. it’a all about money and lack of it.

  • Auntie Caroline

    I love you & will help however I can !

  • Renee Hines-Brandt

    I was always the caregiver. Took care of both my parents who died of cancer. In March my father passed away, I thought finally I’ll have some time for myself. I had surgery on my back for a collapsed disc April. I was paralyzed during the surgery. After leaving the protective bubble of Craig Rehabilitation Hospital, my husband has been my caregiver 100%. Having my caretaker be somebody I already know their personality, I realize he is burnt out. I don’t qualify for a lot of help, he had to take retirement on Social Security to be my caregiver so we don’t make a lot as I’m not eligible for disability because I didn’t work and pay taxes the last five quarters. I was taking care of my father. Long story short, I try to get him to go see his friends but he doesn’t like leaving me alone. I understand burnout. I have two brothers that never helps with my father or my mother. I was burnt out, but you have to keep going because you have somebody you love depending on you. Do what you can do so that you don’t get to the point that you dread helping the person.

  • Marylind ARROYO

    I don’t want to sound negative, but what if you don’t have help from others because the live far away and you had to quit job to stay 24/7 and money is a key factor so you can afford relaxing techniques or even health expenses!

  • rachel

    thank you for sharing this.It help us

  • Muzzamil

    here are so many that want to help. You can’t possibly do it all by yourself. good Suggestion

  • Phyllis and Greg Dugger

    David and Ali,
    We’re still praying for your strength and health. Also prayers for your families and those caring for you in any way. Hugs and kisses!
    Love,
    Greg and Phyllis Dugger

  • Mama Bear in NYC

    Excellent suggestions. For the time when my daughter was at the hospital, my husband stayed nights 10 pm-10 am, and I stayed days 10 am to 10 pm. We spent about 20 min on each end overlapping so we could just talk and catch up. This schedule kept me from feeling guilty about not being there at night. It was their time to be together. Do what works for you. Actually, let that be your guiding principle. Many people will tell you what you “Should” do, but they don’t know your family like you do. Be open to suggestions and definitely accept help, but don’t feel bad about any of your decisions. You do you.

  • hiya patel

    nice

  • Gayle Fannon

    What would I do without these positive encouragements?