When you hear the term “self-care,” what comes to mind?
There are so many ways to take care of yourself, which have benefits ranging from enhancing your overall health to even improving your relationships.
For many healthcare workers, it can be easy to let stress take over when your focus is on providing excellent patient care. However, it is crucial to value your own mental and physical health.
This is why it is essential to implement self-care into your lifestyle. Luckily, there are many simple ways to take care of yourself that can still fit into your busiest days.
Here are seven simple ways to take control of your health and practice self-care:
- Incorporate exercise – It is helpful for us to move our bodies. It can be as simple as taking a ten-minute walk during the day.
- Stay hydrated – Even simply remembering and taking the time to drink water is an act of self-care.
- Make time for things you enjoy – From a movie night to crafts to spending time outdoors. Whatever your thing is – it is beneficial to carve out some time each week for at least one thing that makes you happy.
- Stay well-rested – For so many healthcare workers, sleep may be hard to come by. But it is so important! Try your best to set a sleep schedule that works for you and stick to it.
- Practice self-compassion – If you start to feel overwhelmed, remember you are human. You are doing the best you can to take care of yourself and others. It’s okay to make mistakes.
- Express gratitude – Many find that writing down or simply thinking of at least one thing you are thankful for each day can benefit our mental health. Check out our blog about the importance of mental health as a healthcare worker here.
- Stay connected to others – It can be easy to feel lonely or to isolate yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed. However, it is essential to make time to chat with a friend. Whether it’s in person or over the phone, staying connected during difficult times is an excellent form of self-care.
It may seem like common sense to take care of ourselves, but it’s crucial to be gentle with ourselves and remember to treat our bodies and minds with kindness!
Read more tips and tricks for healthcare workers at our blog page: https://lorettocny.org/news-resources/blog/
Resources:
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2020/04/self-care-tips-for-health-care-workers/
http://www.apna.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/APNASelfCareTipSheet.pdf