Self-Care for Healthcare Workers
Self-care for healthcare workers is a topic that those who work in the field talk a lot about but might neglect to act on for themselves. This is often because they feel pulled to be available and supportive to clients, family, and friends.
For healthcare workers to continue supporting those they care about in their personal and professional lives, it’s important they take care of their own mental health needs regularly. Self-care cannot always wait until you find the time, finish all the work, or until someone gives you permission to pay attention to your own needs. Self-care requires you to create opportunities for tuning into your own needs and to care for yourself in a very real and consistent way.
Below, Geneva Robinson, the Crisis and Information Center Director at Seven Counties Services, provides tips to keep in mind that can help healthcare workers put their mental well-being front and center.
Self-Care Tips
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Be Honest About Your Own Needs.
You may wear a superhero cape on your jobs but remember, you are only human. Although you know too well how to suggest that others attend to your needs, many who work in healthcare may have trouble admitting they also have trouble coping sometimes. It’s OK. You don’t have to have all the answers, all the time. Sometimes you need to take a step back and examine what you need on a personal level to feel in control of your own emotions and choices.
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Asking for Help is Not a Weakness.
You tell this to your clients, but how often do you feel this about yourself? If you don’t ask for help when your workload is too much, you will eventually collapse under the weight of the expectations you put on yourself. And when you collapse, who will be left to help hold up those you are committed to helping?
You owe it to yourself and those you care about to reach out for help when you need a break. This includes when you need help getting through a stressful situation, or just to make it through your difficult days. Help can include leaning on your support system, utilizing healthy coping skills, and a form of therapy or other professional behavioral health treatment.
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Slow Down, Be Present, Breathe.
These things may seem simple and straightforward, but how often on a busy day do you truly take a few minutes to check in with yourself? Only you can adjust the pace of your reactions to the stressors around you. You can see these stressors fully when you step back and take the time to do a true and honest assessment. While you take time to breathe and be fully present in the moment, the world will not end, and you will give yourself an opportunity to realize what you need to feel strong enough to meet the challenges.
Remember, you are as important as those you care about! At Seven Counties Services, there are resources and people available to help you navigate challenges big and small. By seeking support to care for your own mental health, you can continue helping others. Get started today by calling (502) 589-1100 or completing an online appointment request.
Are you a healthcare worker who’s interested in joining a Top Workplace that’s been recognized for employee appreciation, employee well-being, professional development, and meaningfulness? Help us continue improving the lives of individuals and families by visiting our career page. Choosing a path with Seven Counties Services is more than a career – it’s a purpose!
Reviewed by Geneva Robinson, Crisis and Information Center Director, Seven Counties Services
