Making an Action Plan: You Have to Take Care to Give Care

By Raquel Daniels GRANDcares Site Coordinator, Larimer County

Many grandparents are taking care of grandchildren as they raise them in their home. However, there is one important piece that often gets put on the back burner—self-care. With all that grandparents do for their families including getting kids ready for school, working perhaps, and completing essential tasks, there hardly appears to be enough time to do something for themselves. Taking care of oneself is essential. In order to continue to care for others, it is important grandparents start with themselves.

How do I begin self-care?

Start with an action plan! An action plan is an agreement with yourself to help you do something you want to do during the week. The key is doing something you want to do. While it may be tempting to use this allotted time to go to the grocery store or tackle a load of laundry, that is not the purpose of an action plan. This is dedicated to hold you accountable to do something that you enjoy.

What are the parts of an action plan?

An action plan is first and foremost something you want to do. This can be any activity that brings you joy, makes you feel relaxed and helps you feel better in taking care of yourself.

An action plan is also reachable. Think of something you can easily complete during the week. If it is doable you can be successful.

Be behavior specific. Walking around the block, reading one chapter of a book, gardening once a week are all specific behaviors and the more specific the better.

Answer the following questions to turn your action plan into reality:

What? (what are you going to do?)

How much? (how much are you going to do?)

When? (when will you do this?) Example: in the morning, after school, before bed

How often? (days of the week)

Confidence level? (How confident on a scale of 1 to 10 are you that you will be able to accomplish your action plan?)

Taking time out from the day to do something for yourself is beneficial to you and in turn beneficial to the ones you care for. Not only is it giving yourself “me-time,” it is modeling to others in the family such as the grandchildren the value of taking time to rest and recharge.

Powerful Tools for Caregiver, adapted Grandfamilies version of 2016 PTC of Children with Special Health and Behavioral Needs, Class 1 Updated 07/20/2017