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If you're a busy professional juggling deadlines, meetings, and client calls, chances are you're also shouldering something most people don't talk about—caring for an aging parent or senior loved one. You might not identify as a “caregiver” because you’re just helping out, right? But the reality is: you’re doing a second full-time job on top of your actual job.
And it’s exhausting.
More than 1 in 3 working adults are now part of the “sandwich generation”—supporting kids, holding down a career, and caring for older adults at the same time. But even if you're not raising kids, the mental and physical toll of caregiving alongside professional responsibilities can feel absolutely crushing.
The Physical Hurdles Are Constant
You’re not just managing your day—you’re managing theirs too. Their appointments, medications, transportation, and finances. You’re the one who remembers to refill prescriptions, books the follow-up with the specialist, calls the retirement residence, or drops off groceries on your lunch break.
The “quick check-in” visit becomes a 3-hour ordeal. The form they need filled out gets buried under your own paperwork. And somewhere in the shuffle, you’re also supposed to eat right, sleep enough, drink water, move your body, and answer that one email you’ve snoozed 14 times.
The Mental Load? That’s the Killer.
Beyond the physical logistics, there’s an invisible checklist that runs constantly in your mind. It might sound like this:
- “I still haven’t responded to that client request from last week.”
- “I need to follow up on the Power of Attorney paperwork.”
- “Did I book the dentist for Dad?”
- “I need to finish that presentation before Thursday’s meeting.”
- “I haven’t called the financial advisor yet—again.”
- “Why haven’t I meal prepped in two weeks?”
- “I really need to unsubscribe from those emails I’ll never read.”
You may feel like you’re failing, but you're not. You’re carrying more than one person reasonably should. You’re not just managing work and caregiving—you’re also trying to maintain your own mental health, personal relationships, boundaries, and life admin… and most days, it feels like something’s gotta give.
Where Are the Resources That Actually Get It?
Here’s the truth: there are plenty of productivity tools. There are business coaching programs. There are caregiver support groups. But very few resources understand what it’s like to juggle all three—running a business or working full-time, taking care of aging loved ones, and trying to stay upright yourself.
You don’t need another planner or mindset podcast. You need simple, doable steps to take back control.
5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Lighten Your Load
If your to-do list feels like it’s eating you alive, start here:
- Write It Down, Then Cut It in Half
Get everything out of your head onto paper. Then cross out or delegate half. What’s left are the things only you can do. - Block Time for the “Life Admin” Stuff
Schedule a 60-minute weekly block for things like paperwork, bills, POAs, or boundary-setting emails. Treat it like a non-negotiable meeting. - Stack Small Habits Into Your Existing Day
While waiting on hold for an appointment, drink a full glass of water. Walking to the printer? Stretch your shoulders. Little things add up. - Clear Digital Clutter Daily
Set a timer for 10 minutes at the end of each day to clear your inbox or unsubscribe from noise. Small consistency beats big overwhelm. - Give Yourself Permission to Rest
You cannot care well if you’re running on fumes. Rest isn’t a luxury—it’s fuel for everything else on your plate.
Being a professional and a caregiver means you’re doing the work of two people (or more). The load is real, but so is the opportunity to take back control one small step at a time. Start with these five shifts, and remind yourself: you don’t need to do everything, just the next right thing.
Walking alongside you, every step of the way,
Amy
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