Tags
adult coloring books, caregiver mini respite, caregiver stress, caregiver tips, grown up coloring
As much as the world has come to depend on technology, I sometimes find myself wondering if it’s a blessing or a curse. The benefits gained as a result of computers, smartphones, and tablets are irrefutable; however, these things have also ushered in the era of being connected 24x7x365. Multitasking has practically become an Olympic sport, as it’s done to an increasingly absurd degree.
Looking For a Reprieve?
Whether you’re a full-time caregiver or someone who has a full-time career and oversees the care of a loved one, you know what it feels like to be overwhelmed and on the verge of burnout. You yearn for simpler times and wish you could just turn it all off (both figuratively and literally) for a few hours!
My caregiving days are over, but with a full-time-and-then-some career as well as writing, advocacy, and volunteer pursuits on the side, and the usual life/home maintenance activities, things can get dicey. Like most of the rest of the world, I struggle with priorities and balance some days more than others.
Stress has a significant bearing on our overall health and wellness, and caregivers know this better than anyone. So with life moving at such a fast pace, how do we find time for respite when a month in Hawaii or even just a quiet week at home isn’t in the cards?
When all else fails, grab a coloring book!
Next time you feel your priorities are askew, your perspective is out of whack, or your brain is just craving a time out, pick up a coloring book!
As unlikely as it sounds, Scottish artist Johanna Basford has sold over 1.4 million copies of her first adult coloring book, Secret Garden. The follow up, Enchanted Forest, appears to be following suit; both books are sold out on Amazon and BN.com!
In this article by Katelyn Murphy, Basford explains that she simply set out to create a coloring book she would enjoy. Noting the carefree nature of children, she wondered if an activity as simple as coloring might bring calm to an otherwise chaotic adult world. To her surprise, thousands of others desperate for a bit of relaxation sans smartphone or other electronic devices decided she was onto something.
Sound interesting? Just Google “Adult Coloring” or do a search on Pinterest and prepare to be amazed! This stress-busting diversion is a piece of cake to get into, requiring very little time and just a few inexpensive materials. Here is a great list of 16 Colouring Books Perfect for Grown-ups, courtesy of BuzzFeed.
My First Grown Up Coloring Experience
In the interest of, ahem, science, I decided I should check this out for myself so I stopped at Barnes & Noble over the weekend and picked up my first “grown up” coloring book. With a dozen or so options to choose from, I selected Peace & Love by Thaneeya McArdle and settled on a set of 12 Rikota Brush Markers (which, by the way, I love!).
The book begins with a few basics on coloring mediums, an explanation of the color wheel, and some beautiful examples of bright designs in rich, vivid, “feel good” tones. Just flipping through the pages had me eager to let my inner artist run wild and sure enough after about an hour I decided that perhaps I’ve been looking for Zen in all the wrong places.
I really enjoyed this time, and focusing on the detailed pattern cleared my mind of its usual pandemonium (no small feat). There’s something about the act of coloring that really is Zen-like, and I think that feeling, combined with the overall sense of joy found in creative pursuits, makes this a great temporary escape from reality.
So to all of my co-workers: should you come by my office tomorrow and find me coloring – worry not! It’s just a few minutes of calm in the midst of a typical frenetic workday, and if you’re extra nice, I might even let you use my markers!
I’d love to hear from others on this topic. What do you think? Have you or would you give coloring a try at this stage in your life? Why or why not? If you’ve already found it to be something you enjoy, tell us about your experience.
draws to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot about the pressure caregivers feel to be perfect. I see this on a regular basis through my role as co-moderator of the 
Available for 
I’m extremely pleased to bring you a 3-part series entitled The Dangerous Dance with Stress and Guilt, by Mara Botonis. Mara is the author of 
Few realize the day to day reality of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s and dementia and as a result, the suggestions of well-meaning friends and family can sometimes leave us feeling more alone than ever. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone suggest to an at-home Alzheimer’s caregiver that they go “take a break” or “get out of the house” and see a movie, get a pedicure or massage. I want to pull this person aside and give them an “instant in-service” on what it means to care for someone that may require such close supervision that you wash your hair only once a week because you feel you can’t risk being in the shower that long. I want them to know what it feels like to jump out of a deep sleep at every little noise because it might mean someone you love is getting into something dangerous or trying to get out of the house. I want to tell them that in later stages of the disease, a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia can require even more supervision around the clock than a newborn baby, because someone with Alzheimer’s is far more mobile and capable of finding trouble without even trying than a little one is in their first few months on earth.
So the question then becomes how can we manage the stress of caregiving? How can we manage it in a way than fits into the reality of our day? How can we make stress relief a more accessible activity that fits into what little free time we have, doesn’t require the participation of others to “cover” care for us and yet still is effective enough to make a difference?
3) Quit “saving” the “good stuff” for guests. We all have the good dishes, guest towels, pretty soaps and sheets. Things that we erroneously think are too good for us to use. Quit it! Stop saving these household treasures for times when others are visiting and enjoy them yourself. I caught myself dusting the good candles because I had had them so long without ever lighting them that they were starting to fade in color and scent. I finally (and safely) chose a time and place to let myself experience the candles the way they were meant to be used—I enjoyed those few peaceful minutes so much, I vowed never to dust candles again. And, I also started to let myself use the fancy lotion and good perfume.
6) Carve out some alone time. I know this may be the tricky part. Alone time isn’t always when it’s convenient for us, but it can be created each day if you’re willing to be flexible. Set your watch or alarm to wake up 15 minutes early or stay up 15 minutes after your loved one is safely sleeping (not put to bed, but actually sleeping). Take advantage of this time to do just one thing for you. A lot of us necessarily pack this precious time period with chores that are easier to do when our loved one is not around because of the nature of the task, but at least once a week, fill this time with something that is just for you.
8) Reflect on your caregiving successes each day. We spend a big part of our day identifying new ways to cope with a devastating and progressive disease. When you fight a disease that gets worse and worse every day, you can forget to look for what is going better than the day before. Make yourself end each day reviewing what went right, what worked well and what the best were the best parts of your day. There is enough heartache and difficulty around us each day that we don’t need to give it any more attention than it’s due. What we need, is a little more space to realize that every day we get through is a success, every day our loved one was safe and well cared for is a triumph. No amount of stress or sleep deprivation has the power to take that away from you. You did it, you’re doing it and you’re great at it!