We're all under tremendous stress and pressure right now, so it may seem daunting to try to find any time to help process what you're going through. First and foremost, it's important to note the taking even a small amount of time can help give you the release and the relief that's necessary towards self-care and can go a long way towards your ability to help other people.
One of the tricks I find useful is to make a social commitment with someone else. Tell someone else that you know and trust that you could use a few minutes with them to help process how you're feeling. By making these social commitments, we get a little bit more accountable and maybe just a little bit more likely to see them through.
If that's not helpful, and if you don't have someone that you can do that with in the moment, another useful technique is just to journal. Even a few minutes on your own schedule, capturing what you're thinking and feeling can be a very useful way to release some of the tension and stress and help keep you going another day.
Well, I'm here to say it's critically important to also take care of your emotional needs to help you get through these stressful times. Much like we want to prioritize having healthy sleep habits and eating habits and making room for some form of physical activity, it's important to also make sure you're adjusting your emotional needs. Plus, if you don't take care of yourself, you'll be less likely to be able to help others.
Well, first and foremost, I want to thank you for making the space to help someone who may be in need. This, however, makes it even more important that you'd find the time and space to help yourself, too, so that you can then have the energy and resources available to be fully present to help the person you're caring for. There are many different ways that you can seek help, some more informal and indirect, like turning to reputable websites and resources online, such as from the CDC and World Health Organization that offer links to resources that can help you with emotional stress and emotional burden.
You can also talk to a trusted friend and confidant to help get some emotional support and just vent for a few moments, or if necessary, you can reach out to a local health provider and ask for some help in seeking mental health treatment. Any of these options are useful places to start, and any amount of time, even small, can help give you the relief and release necessary to help energize yourself to be able to care for the person in need.