{"id":12065,"date":"2022-10-04T20:28:38","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T20:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/?p=12065"},"modified":"2023-06-30T18:29:20","modified_gmt":"2023-06-30T18:29:20","slug":"5-sabbatical-rhythms-of-life-for-caregivers-and-their-loved-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/2022\/10\/5-sabbatical-rhythms-of-life-for-caregivers-and-their-loved-one\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Sabbatical Rhythms of Life for Caregivers and Their Loved One"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This article is an excerpt from the book, <\/em>We\u2019re Stronger than We Look: Insights and Encouragement for the Caregiver\u2019s Journey. Jill and David Brown lived full and healthy lives until David took a violent fall off his bicycle and into a wheelchair in 2009. Jill now serves as his primary caregiver.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s better to burn out<\/a> than rust out. Ever heard that before?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like most adages, this one is clever and catchy\u2014and incomplete. Since when did burning out or rusting out become our only two choices? Or, as a friend of ours said, \u201cCan God count to three?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremes are like ditches. We can travel in one or the other, but the road running along between them has more elbow room and a better view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David and I serve on the member care team of the organization we work for. Twice a year, our team puts on a seminar to help staff going on sabbatical get ready to use the time well. I love this seminar. It\u2019s so useful, people from other organizations come as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some time ago, our organization figured out that people who take a sabbatical every seven to ten years do better in the long run. They stay healthier. They can keep going. If they\u2019re on track for burnout, the break lets them rest. It also gives them a chance to consider why<\/em> they\u2019re burning out and make some changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David and I joined our member care team in June 2009. Two months later, he took a six-month sabbatical . . . though everyone says breaking his neck and being in the hospital doesn\u2019t count for that. Either way, we came due again a few years ago. But we didn\u2019t take one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, because of his limitations, we try to live what we call a \u201csabbatical <\/a>rhythm of life.\u201d That could be the smartest decision we ever made, except it isn\u2019t, because we didn\u2019t decide<\/em> to do this. We more slid into it. When we overdid, we paid for that. When we built in margin, we had more energy. When we said yes to everything, we got stressed. When we said no to a few things, oh, glorious peace. We stayed healthier. We could keep going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David and I might be slow learners, but we finally caught on. Those principles we\u2019d helped other people use actually work! So, here\u2019s a glimpse of what a sabbatical <\/a>rhythm of life looks like for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n