Caregiving can be an exhausting, draining, emotional journey. It can be one of the toughest things you will ever do—as well as one of the most rewarding. While you care for your loved one, you also must take care of yourself. ~Jeanne Porter King, Caring Well.

In past blog posts, I discussed strategies for self-care and leading well. I also discussed the “super-woman syndrome” and how it can stifle our success and often leave us stressed and overwhelmed. Many women leaders are also caregivers. This is why it is so important for me to talk to women in leadership who also care for others. It was a driving force behind my upcoming book Caring Well: 90 Self-Care Devotions for the African American Caregiver.

Leading Well and Caring Well Go Hand in Hand

As women leaders, we often wear multiple hats. In addition to other roles and responsibilities, many of us are caregivers. While leading in the workplace, our families depend on us at home.  

A few years ago, while caring for my elderly mother, I learned that caregiving is a distinct type of leadership. Whether you are caring for someone now, have cared for someone in the past, or will be called upon to care for someone in the future, please know there is a significant leadership dimension to the caregiving assignment. Like leaders in other arenas of life, you must help facilitate a process, in your case, a process of care, and you must hone and cultivate healthy relationships with a team of people aiming to care well for your loved one.

Balancing Caring Well & Leading Well

Those who take on the mantle of caregiver for a family member or friend step into a role that requires leading a care process for loved ones who can no longer independently care for themselves. In addition to working in or running businesses, leading ministries at church, and serving in our communities, we routinely choose to care for loved ones in need. Caring for others is what we do and just as much a part of our identities as being leaders. 

If you struggle with balance, do not be discouraged. Even women leaders who master leading well in the workplace struggle with transitioning to caring for a loved one. When in doubt, know this: God gifted you with the tenacity and skill of a leader. Look for opportunities in all areas of your life to bless others with it. 

Never Forget Self-Care

From my own experience, I’ve learned that self-care is a crucial aspect of the caregiving journey. It must be ‘wholistic’–for our spirit, soul, and body. This understanding led me to write Caring Well: 90 Self-Care Devotions for the African American Caregiver. This book is a tool to help caregivers like you and me, as caring for others is a core value of women in our culture. It provides practical wisdom and spiritual tools to cultivate self-care as a leader and a caregiver.

We take care of others within our families and communities. However, men and women of all races who provide care for loved ones can benefit from my book as they learn to navigate between their caregiving roles and taking care of themselves. Caring from the heart is at the heart of caregiving. In my book, I provide spiritual tools to cultivate a caring heart and practical wisdom for wholistic self-care. 

You can pre-order a copy of my book, Caring Well, here, which will be released on September 3, 2024. It is available in paperback, digital, and as an audiobook. I encourage you to share this post and the order information about Caring Well with other caregivers you know. Better yet, consider gifting them a copy to show your support and care for them!