Balancing Work and Caregiving
It can be hard to get your work done if a loved one checks in every few minutes or if you're constantly fielding calls from doctors or health care aides.
"You have to try to draw limits, set boundaries, and compartmentalize between work responsibilities and family responsibilities -- and that's very hard," says clinical psychologist Barry J. Jacobs, author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers.
"If you're at work and you're worrying about ‘Will the home health aide do a good job today’ with your parent or spouse, all you're doing is undermining your effectiveness at work. You have to shut it off."
There will be times you’ll need to be firm and set limits with the person you're caring for, Jacobs says. Maybe you can put aside your lunch hour every day to talk to him or her. That can also be the time when you make doctor appointments or check in with home health aides or other caregivers.
"The rest of the day you may have to turn your phone off, because you do have to get your work done," Goyer says.
You don't have to share your personal life with your co-workers, but you may want to fill them in, especially if it's affecting your work.
"It's helpful for them to understand what your situation is and why you're needing flexibility in your work," Goyer says.
You don’t have to go into lots of details or share every day.
"It's really a fine line of knowing your working environment, what is the norm there. What you don’t want to do is alienate your co-workers because you're talking about it constantly and not getting your work done," Goyer says. "Be clear that your priority is being a committed employee when you're at work."
Balancing Work and Caregiving
Set Limits
It can be hard to get your work done if a loved one checks in every few minutes or if you're constantly fielding calls from doctors or health care aides.
"You have to try to draw limits, set boundaries, and compartmentalize between work responsibilities and family responsibilities -- and that's very hard," says clinical psychologist Barry J. Jacobs, author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers.
"If you're at work and you're worrying about ‘Will the home health aide do a good job today’ with your parent or spouse, all you're doing is undermining your effectiveness at work. You have to shut it off."
There will be times you’ll need to be firm and set limits with the person you're caring for, Jacobs says. Maybe you can put aside your lunch hour every day to talk to him or her. That can also be the time when you make doctor appointments or check in with home health aides or other caregivers.
"The rest of the day you may have to turn your phone off, because you do have to get your work done," Goyer says.
Talking to Co-Workers
You don't have to share your personal life with your co-workers, but you may want to fill them in, especially if it's affecting your work.
"It's helpful for them to understand what your situation is and why you're needing flexibility in your work," Goyer says.
You don’t have to go into lots of details or share every day.
"It's really a fine line of knowing your working environment, what is the norm there. What you don’t want to do is alienate your co-workers because you're talking about it constantly and not getting your work done," Goyer says. "Be clear that your priority is being a committed employee when you're at work."
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