NORWALK — There are no two ways about it: being a caregiver is taxing.

Between coordinating various services, assisting your loved one with basic daily activities and dealing with challenges that can arise, caregiving can easily be a full-time job. Add in other responsibilities such as a full or part-time job or parenting and life can become downright overwhelming.

The fact is, when you’re constantly focused on meeting someone else’s needs, it’s easy for your own to fall by the wayside. But when you neglect to care for your own personal and emotional well-being, it can easily lead to burnout and even depression, which can compromise the quality of care you’re able to provide to your loved one.

It’s important to remember that caregiver stress is completely normal and does not in any way make you a bad caregiver. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it — learning to recognize the early warning signs of caregiver stress can help you avoid the negative consequences. Even if you’ve already developed caregiver stress or burnout, there are actions you can take to reduce and manage it.