Having played sports growing up and even to this day (tennis only now), I learned about how to tell when I was tiring out. When I tired out after playing long and/or hard, not only did by ability to play at my best deteriorate, everything else I had to do afterwards was a chore, tiring and mentally draining. I needed rest for my body to recuperate. But knowing this as an athlete, knowing this about yourself, is a way to understand when you, as the caregiver, are losing the ability to be a caregiver effectively. We need to stop caregiving for a while, just as we need to stop playing, and rest – physically and mentally.
After I had enough rest, then I felt mentally capable of taking on tasks again. Knowing when you’re “hitting the wall” can be hard to do, especially if you’re doing something you haven’t done before, such as being a caregiver. So, you have to use other metrics or signals your mind and body are giving you – the caregiver is really a patient too – a patient that needs preventative treatment.
The Caregiver - The Second Cancer Patient 