Everyone knows what self- care is, and we all need it in some way or another. Healthcare workers need it more than most, with the stress they face on a day-to-day basis and the obligation to care for other people, they need to be sure their “cup is filled” at all times or they could start to get the sense of burnout. Unfortunately, with most healthcare workers, self-care is the least of their worries. There are so many things a person can do to provide themselves with the self-care they need, but we are going to focus on 4 main areas that healthcare workers can concentrate on.
- Physical
- Emotional
- Social
- Professional
Physical: Consistency is key in this one. Your role might be a physically demanding job, but you need to also take the additional time and effort to find other ways to exert yourself throughout your day. This also includes drinking plenty of water throughout your day, each day, and also eating a healthy diet. Some simple ideas for this one would be:
- Go for a 30-minute walk
- Get a massage
- Take an Epsom salt bath and just relax
- Drink plenty of water
- Get 8 hours of sleep each night
- Take time throughout your day to stretch
- Find an active hobby you enjoy that you can do a few times each week
Emotional: When you fail to acknowledge your feelings, your body’s emotional response intensifies. This is not good for anyone, especially someone in the healthcare field. They need to be on high alert with the correct mindset and attitude to help themselves and the people they are responsible for. Some simple things that a person can do to ease the emotional side of things in regard to self-care would be to:
- Meditate
- When you feel like your getting stressed out, take a moment to recharge
- Use a gratitude journal nightly
- Learn to say “no”
- Affirmations in the morning go a long way
- Fill your life with people who bring you happiness and joy
- Don’t sweat the small things
Social: Human beings are social creatures; we thrive when we have people in our lives and we are able to connect to others. This is an important step in any self-care plan that shouldn’t be ignored. A few simple ideas to make sure you are getting the social aspects you need would be to:
- Host a game night with your friends
- Reaching out to people you care for
- Making plans with someone who makes you smile
- Have a weekly walk with someone
- Provide compliments to those around you
- Join a group or club that interest you
- Host a virtual dinner party
Professional: Professional care is one of the most overlooked parts of self-care. People just don’t think about it, but it is something that needs to be address. Professional self-care encompasses anything you do to make your work life easier or to create a healthy work-life balance. Some ideas for this are:
- Keep your work area clean and organized
- Take your lunch, everyday
- Schedule a mental health day
- Turn off your work when you leave for the day
- Make friends at your work
- Plan social gatherings with like-minded coworkers
- Leave all the stress and worry at the door
There is no denying that the healthcare field is mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting work, especially with the last few years we have had. However, a little self-care will go a long way in helping you meet the challenges of a new day. EmpowerCare is here to help you make your day-to-day work/life balance easier by finding you the right placement for your specific needs.
Self-care is something everyone needs to acknowledge and work on each day, especially our heroes in the healthcare fields.
