Caregiving As an Introvert: Discovering My True Potential by Stepping Outside of the Comfort Zone - MalaysiaPerspectives

Caregiving As an Introvert: Discovering My True Potential by Stepping Outside of the Comfort Zone

Have an introverted nature and wonder if a caregiving career is a good fit for you to venture into? Learn how penjaga Aqila has discovered her full potential and fulfilled her aspirations of being the best version of herself by venturing outside of her comfort zone!

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penjaga Spotlight: Aqila Izzaty

Everything that a caregiver does makes life better not just for the Care Receiver, but for the carer as well. Caregiving for the most part carries an extraordinary sense of purpose to the caregivers as it allows them to see their worth as individuals, and it makes them view life in a more optimistic manner.

Continue reading to learn how penjaga Aqila has realized her full potential and achieved her goals of being the greatest version of herself by stepping beyond her comfort zone!

Get to know Aqila!

Meet Aqila, a penjaga profesional who is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to learn and improve herself despite her introverted nature. As a means of promoting self-esteem and confidence, she has successfully published a book on overcoming the prejudices associated with introverts in order to help them gain more authority. Contrary to how introverts often prefer their own company, she encourages them to step out of their comfort zones. Aqila exemplifies this statement by working with as a caregiver since the beginning of 2022 to develop emotional and physical relationships with others.

As a penjaga profesional, I aim to provide the best care possible while fostering strong relationships with my clients. I have learned that in addition to providing for the elderly, the path I’m on with is one of the finest ways to begin the process of self-discovery and offers so many opportunities for continuous improvement. – penjaga Aqila

Can you tell us a little bit about your book and does it relate to your profession as a caregiver? If yes, how do you apply it in your caregiving career?

The aim of the book is to empower introverts to have more authority. I advocate to dispel the myth that introverts are reclusive, reserved, timid, unconfident, risk-averse, and susceptible to mental condition, they just enjoy their own solitude more than being out there.

Since introverts often enjoy their own solitude, this may occasionally result in overthinking. One method to stop overthinking is to get physically active, thus for me, being a caregiver will definitely help to overcome this. When I engage in physical activity, I get to divert my attention to others. The best tip I can give to introverted caregivers is to push yourself and work on your communications skills consistently through human connections. Constructive and effective communication is key to your success. When your communication is clear, assertive and constructive, you’re more likely to be heard and get the responses you want. To accomplish that, you’ll need to stay organized, have patience and control conflicting emotions. Once this is achieved, you may find yourself enjoying human connections a little bit more. Sometimes having a connection does not mean you have to talk; being present physically and mentally while enjoying each other’s company would already mean so much.

How do you get out of your comfort zone and start your career as a caregiver as an introvert? What is your motivation?

It’s a long and not the most comfortable journey. Take things gradually and try to mingle with people outside of your comfort zone, which could be your family, new friends, and even your Care Recipients. While offering my service, I desire to develop personal or individual connections with my Care Receivers so that I am able to get out of my comfort zone.

I believe introverts would relish being a caregiver. Why?

In my opinion, introverts perform substantially better when we can concentrate on one activity at a time or in a small group. With , most of the visits only requires the penjaga to only handle 1 patient at a time, which makes it accomplishable.

It also contributes to my confidence-building since I only have myself on the ground to execute tasks and take charge in giving the best care to my patient. Trusting myself is the first step to making a solid effective decision about my next move. When I trust myself and my ability to do the next right thing I make decisions clearly and creatively. See yourself successfully navigating the challenge or crisis or problem with clarity and confidence. Allow yourself to feel good about how you are handling things and how proud you are of the results. I believe these simple thoughts can empower and guide us to feeling accomplished and eliminate self-doubt and second-guessing ourselves.

Other than that, the team’s support has been a powerful help too. The helpline is useful and ready to attend to you whenever you need help.

How has this caregiving career fulfilled your life purpose?

To me, caregiving ultimately improves the quality of life for both the care recipient and the caregiver. For the former, having a caregiver makes it a lot easier to accomplish day-to-day activities such as eating, bathing, toileting and walking. For the latter, caregiving makes life more active and fulfilling.

While working with has helped ease my finances, achieving the true good purpose of life is what is essential for me. Caregiving teaches me about being compassionate and how to to connect emotionally with the care recipients Caregivers with an increased sense of compassion do more than just assisting or supervising their recipients but contributes to making the patient feel more cared for, loved, and understood, which fulfils my ultimate goal of working while serving others.

It’s more than just a job. Sometimes the patients just need a touch on the hand or a smile; just let them know that we are there for them. – penjaga Aqila

What is the one thing you have learned from being a writer to a caregiver?

Being a caregiver forces me to be more detailed, specific, and aware enough of the consequences of my actions. You have to stay on your guard at all times especially for the unexpected and unpredictable, so you can take quick action to keep patients from harm. For instance, for the majority of us, eating is normal, but for some seniors, they are more delicate and vulnerable in terms of their food intake. Even soft food might be difficult for some Care Recipients to chew.

Whether it’s about tasks or patient cues, paying attention to the details means making sure that all tasks are done properly and patient information is accurately documented. The same goes for writing, I have to double-check the accuracy of gathered information to make sure I am delivering all the right key points and services.

I’ll also pay close attention to what my Care Recipient says so that they feel good knowing that someone is listening to them. This strategy builds meaningful relationships and reflects genuine caring, the same thing I want to achieve with the readers/audience of my book.

Do you have any tips for other caregivers who are struggling with confidence?

We won’t get the confidence unless we get out of our comfort zones and start doing it earnestly. Magnify on the needs of those who need care rather than fixating on yourself and push yourself to start. For some of us, dealing with a “fragile” senior is a new experience; we may feel uncomfortable or anxious at first. If you feel like giving up halfway, have grace for yourself, take a deep breath and repeat.

Make sure you’ve had a healthy meal and have enough energy before your visit so that you can provide the best care. Read the reports/profile of your patient to equip yourself with all you need to know about your Care Recipient and travel to your Care Recipient’s place with ease!

Offering Primary Caregivers Respite and Support

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• Stay flexible with a better work-life balance as a freelance, part-time or full-time penjaga profesional
• Receive a stable income or competitive salary package that corresponds to their knowledge, skillset, and experience
• Gain opportunities to work with us regularly and tier up in your career pathway as a penjaga profesional
• Upgrade your skills with holistic and specialised training and certifications from our training partners and in-house specialistsInterested in building a meaningful career while touching the lives of others? Join our penjaga profesional team today!Click here.

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