We have a busy day planned for today. We are going to see my husband’s neurologist this morning and our cat sees the veterinarian for her exam this afternoon. In between the two we hope to have lunch, get a nap for him and exercise for an hour with his boxing program. It’s the kind of day that I usually try to avoid with a lot crammed into a few hours. I expect to feel rushed at least once today and hope that I can manage it with patience and kindness. Is that a reasonable expectation? I certainly hope so.

I have overscheduled us today so I am not adding anything more that isn’t absolutely necessary. Acknowledging the potential for overload is my first step in avoiding it. Lunch will probably be fast food that we pick up on the run, but that’s okay. There won’t be any laundry, housework or other chores today, my plate is already full. And, I will take every opportunity to slow down and breathe as I move through everything we have on our calendar.

Knowing that I shouldn’t try to do too much in my role as CarePartner and actually accepting it are two different things. When I am exhausted, I am not able to do the things I need to do let alone the things I want to do. I realize that I have a load- caring for my husband, caring for our home, caring for myself, and when things got too busy something has to suffer. Unfortunately, it is usually me. Recognizing what is coming, I can work today to make sure that when I finish, I am feeling good about what we have accomplished and okay about what was left behind. After all, there is always tomorrow and sometimes procrastination is a CarePartner’s best friend.