Six Ways Writing a Journal Helps Caregivers

Journaling as a past-time is making a comeback with advanced note-taking features on modern devices. In the past, people kept handwritten journals to cope with stress and record personal progress. But recently, digital journaling techniques have become prominent among caregivers.

With the physical and emotional demands of caregiving, keeping a journal makes sense even if you don’t have Hemingway-esque writing skills.

So, let’s check out some ways writing a journal can help caregivers with their work.

Reduces stress

All caregivers go through a wide range of emotions when working with their patients or loved ones. Beyond that, the physical aspect of caregiving adds to the stress factors. Therefore, you can use journaling techniques to relieve this stress.

Notably, a study from the Cambridge University press recommends using expressive writing to cope with distracting thoughts. The research showed that participants used this medium to explore their emotional trauma, which served as a release for them. During the study, one notable change in the test subjects was a decrease in blood pressure. So, expressive writing is a scientifically-proven stress reliever.

Provides solutions to challenges

Caregiving presents various challenges, some of which require on-the-spot solutions. But how can you solve a problem without any prior experience?

Journaling is one answer. By writing down challenges and your approach to solving them, you can easily recognize patterns and generate solutions faster.

So, you can create a daily record of the challenges you face as a caregiver. Consider adding a column to track effective and ineffective solutions. By doing so, you will get a better picture of tried-and-tested approaches.

Serves as a coping mechanism

Sometimes, outside factors pile on to compound one’s misery. In these tough situations, restorative journaling techniques can help you cope with the stress.

For this, keep a hand-written journal and dedicate your attention to the writing process. Besides, journaling serves as a temporary distraction from the world around you. When you engulf yourself in the details, you tune out the rest of the world, albeit momentarily.

Effectively, your mind can use this break to reset and disconnect from the rigors of caregiving.

Keeps you in touch with yourself

Journaling is a great way to keep in touch with your inner self. Think of it this way: recording an event is similar to a snapshot — a hand-written portrait of the experience.

As time passes, you can look back at this journal to see how you have changed over the years. Apart from that, the contents of the journal record your life experiences — negative and positive.

Also, writing a journal gives you an excuse to spend time in nature. You can take your journal to the park or sit down on the lawn.

Most importantly, your record and practice journal is an excellent tool for personal reflection because it highlights focus areas in your life.

Tracks accomplishments

Instead of dwelling on the negative experiences when providing care, highlight only the positives. This technique uplifts your mood by rendering potential stressors insignificant.

Besides, writing down your proudest caregiver moments provides positive reinforcement to persevere when things get rough. By taking a glance at your achievements, you will reaffirm the importance of your sacrifice.

Fine-tunes your routine

Caregivers often need to adjust their own routines to suit the person under their care. And since you are always under constant stress and pressure to perform, you can lose track of your responsibilities.

Therefore, a caregiver journal can fine-tune your schedule to minimize self-inflicted pressure. This diary can also help you identify when you need to take a break. After all, caregivers need to take care of themselves, too.

Conclusion

Keeping a journal is a great way for caregivers to cope with work-related pressure. By practicing expressive writing, one can eliminate stress and even normalize blood pressure. Journaling can also serve as a coping mechanism by providing an escape from harsh realities. You can also track your achievement and fine-tune your routine with journaling techniques. Hence, start writing now to keep your mind in tip-top shape and provide care.

–by Amanda Dudley

Amanda Dudley is a writer at a college essay writing service. She has dedicated her life to working with undergraduates and postgraduates. Amanda also tutors children with disabilities and helps them with challenging academic tasks.

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