Those who humbly serve will see and rejoice! All you seekers-after-God will revive your souls! Psalm 69:32 Voice
There is no exhaustion quite like the one you may feel as a caregiver. It feels like it will never end and you don’t know how you keep going – yet, you do. Technology has provided us a way to connect and keep people informed of prayer needs. There is a great deal of support from friends who can reach out to us with encouragement. On the other hand, there is a great danger of becoming addicted to Social Media. One of the greatest respites you can find is to completely unplug from technology for 24 hours.
You make choices every single day about what you will do with your time. I must admit that I was not fully aware of those choices during many years as a caregiver. Toward the end of my caregiving season for my first husband, Bill, I discovered something that I wish I had done during other seasons of caregiving. Every morning I walked 2 – 3 miles at a local park. I disciplined myself to put my cell phone on airplane mode during that time. I enjoyed the beauty of nature and took pictures of the sunrise. The changes of season were more apparent and I found a respite while walking.
Technology has become a greater part of our lives than even five years ago when my first husband moved to Heaven. We find ourselves checking our phone every time it dings. When stuck in semi-isolation because of the responsibilities to care for someone you love, you can become more desperate than ever to know what is going on in the real world. It is here that you can establish addictive patterns.
Social Media Addiction
Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if you are addicted to social media. They are followed by alternative Hope Antidote that serves as an active form of self nurture.
1. Do you check Social Media accounts first before doing anything else every morning?
Hope Antidote:
Stretch physically in bed before getting up. Pray and ask the Lord for strength and wisdom during the day. Jot down notes recording your dreams or first impressions of the day.
2. Is reaching for Social Media your main recreation or distraction throughout the day/evening?
If you answered ‘yes’ to this question then you may have fallen for the very addictive nature of the technology advances.
Hope Antidote:
Make a list of physical actions you can take that will get you moving and involved with people. Act on at least one of them every day.
3. Do you choose online time instead of actual face time with family and immediate friends?
This is the familiar picture of a couple who are sitting at a very nice restaurant with cell phones in hand or the teenagers texting each other when they are in the same room.
Hope Antidote:
Set the example at the next family gathering by placing your phone in a basket and passing the basket around. Or, a wonderful way to have fun with this is the have everyone put their phones on airplane mode and put them in the middle of the table. If someone picks theirs up, they get to pay for everyone’s tab.
4. Do you feel anxious when you think about not checking your social media outlets for 24 hours?
Hope Antidote:
Remove the applications from your smart phone or handheld devices. At the very least, turn off the notifications so you stop hearing the dings. Schedule specific times to check your accounts. Find someone to help you remain accountable.
Take the time to enjoy the world and the people around you. Use Social Media accounts to reach out to others and invite them to some one-on-one fellowship and conversation.
I love how the Message paraphrase expresses Philippians 2:12-13 regarding this topic:
What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for giving me a heart of immediate responsive obedience. I want that so much. Forgive me for letting the distractions of Social Media dull me to the nudges of Your Holy Spirit to reach out to someone in need or share an encouraging word. Thank You for energizing me from deep within. It is such a comfort to know that You give me the desire and the ability to complete all that will bring You pleasure.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
For the rest of the alphabet in the ABCs of Self Nurture for Caregivers please click
here.
Karen Sebastian-Wirth has, over the years, lovingly cared for her mother-in-love, mother, father and husband. She certainly has learned the lessons of hope in what can become a treacherous ride over some rough waters. You will enjoy her candid approach to self nurture and the practical ways to take care of yourself. Her new book The Power of Hope for Caregivers: Honor the Ride will be released in September, 2018.
Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. Her books will inspire you to embrace hope no matter what you are going through. To increase hope and improve relationships with yourself and those that you love check out her Facebook page – The Power of Hope.
