This month let’s look at Self-Care and why it is important as a health care provider. We all know that working in the health care field is stressful. A 2022 study conducted in Minnesota found that 70% of frontline healthcare workers experienced some level of depression and 99.2% reported high levels of stress.
It’s easy to lose focus on self-care with our busy lives. But an absence of self-care can harm us both physically and emotionally, often resulting in struggles with compassion fatigue and professional burnout.
But we CAN prevent this from occurring. Here are some ideas for self-care. Try a few and see if they help.
Set Boundaries
Try saying NO. Especially to protect family and alone time. Don’t get involved in other people’s drama
Practice Mindfulness
- Try a meditation video,
- Write in a journal
- Practice breathing skills
- Sit in quiet for a few moments
Maintain a Work Life balance
- Limit how much work you take home
- Connect with family and friends during outside work time
- Use your paid leave time
- Take a lunch break – leave your desk, talk with co-workers, move around, sit in a quiet area
Take Care of yourself
- Hydrate
- Eat – don’t be Hangry
- Exercise
- Sleep
Disconnect
- Put down your phone, especially one hour before bedtime
- Don’t check work emails after hours
- Reduce time spent on social media
