26/08/2025
🌿 Day 12: Stress Busting Tips for Parent Carers
Caring for others while juggling your own life is no small task as an OT, I know that burnout isn’t a personal failure, it’s a sign your load is too heavy. Here are some practical tips to reduce stress and protect your wellbeing.
1. A hot drink in silence, deep breaths before getting out of the car, or 2 minutes of stretching before bed.
2. Listen to calming music, stretch, or practice box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4).
3. Create a comfy space for yourself, include a cozy blanket, journal, aromatherapy, calming object.
4. Use visual schedules, digital calenders, meal plans, or diaries to organise, save energy and reduce the mental load.
5. Try grounding techniques like:
Naming 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
Gentle tapping or hand massage using a scented lotion.
Rocking motions (like sitting in a rocking chair or swaying side to side)
6. Try voice notes to a friend or relative, a quick support group message, or a 10-minute weekly check-in with someone who gets it.
7. Let go of perfection. Take five deep breaths, ask for help from others or step outside for 2 minutes if you can.
8. Match harder tasks such as heavy house work or challenging a decision with higher energy times, and rest during dips. This respects your rhythm and prevents burn and bust cycles.
