If you are a healthcare professional, you will know how important it is for you to take care of yourself. You have to make sure that you take the time to manage your physical health and you also need to try and support your mental health as well. If you feel as though the stress and strain that you are under is just too much, then this is the guide for you.
Rest between Shifts if you Can
It really is so important for you to rest between shifts if you can. Sleep is a biological need, such as eating and even drinking. Getting rest can help you to reset and it can also help to provide you with the physical refreshment you need to feel better about yourself. If you do not get enough sleep, then you may find that you experience neurological dysfunction and that your performance reduces in general. This increases your chance of experiencing an injury and it also leads to poor health behavior as well. If you can, you need to try and take advantage of time-saving procedures. If you do not have time to cook dinner, try and order in. If you need to unwind before bed and you can’t switch off your brain, then try and listen to some podcasts that focus on mindfulness. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you are able to really benefit your mental health.
Talk with Family and Friends
It can be very difficult to get a good amount of sleep when you are continually trying to juggle your work and your home life. During this tough time, you may find that you rely on family and friends more than you should. They will help you to juggle your work and home life and they will also be able to help take care of your child while you get changed after work. Little things like this can help you to unwind and they can also help you to stay focused on the things that really matter, which is taking care of yourself. It may be that a friend offers to help you by preparing some food to go in the freezer as well. Things like this can help you to relax when you truly need to.
Eat Well
A good diet that is paired with exercise can easily help you to manage your stress levels. Unfortunately, stress can often impact your ability when it comes to making good life choices. If you can, you need to try and make sure that you are getting enough nutrients. This can include Vitamin C as well as fatty acids. The best acid that you could hope to have in your diet would be Omega 3. If you don’t feel as though you have time to prepare fresh fish all the time, then putting some tuna in your sandwiches can really help you to boost your nutrient intake. If you can, take a bath after work too, because this will help your body and muscles to relax. If you suffer from allergies and struggle to use a lot of scented bath products that are associated with relaxing, then remember you can find ingredients in hypoallergenic shampoo online.
Get Physical
Physical activity is often linked with a healthy body. It is also your best defense against things like illness. Another thing that you should know is that physical activity can sharpen your mind and it can also reduce fatigue. This is a very important step because stress can easily do the opposite. Gyms and other spaces for working out may well be closed but there are many other ways that you can stay active. Most gyms now offer courses, and you also have YouTube channels that offer yoga tutorials as well, so make sure that you look into them if possible.
Trust in Yourself
If you are a healthcare professional, then you will probably be aware of stress and how it impacts your life. You have to know what coping mechanisms work for you and you also need to trust in methods you have used in the past. That being said, don’t resort to methods that will do long-term damage to your health. This can include drinking or even smoking. Ongoing stress can easily manifest itself in a lot of different ways. This can include sleep disturbances, bad concentration, and even depression. Research has shown time and time again that if you have consistently high stress then this can lead to you experiencing an impaired immune system as well as a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Talk it Out
If you work in a very stressful job, or if you are a surgeon and consistently have to deliver bad news then you may find that you experience emotional burnout. You may find that you have patients die on your watch and that it’s difficult to deal with the emotional burden that comes with this. That being said, it’s vital that you talk things out. Talk therapy can be a fantastic way for you to look after yourself and it can work wonders for your mental health. Some hospitals will offer you various workplace benefits, such as massage services or even discounted gym memberships. If you are an employee, then this can help you to figure out how to handle stress when you are involved in a stressful situation.
Compassion Fatigue is Real
Compassion fatigue often comes from you caring too much. It can strike absolutely any healthcare worker at any time. If you work in healthcare then you may feel deeply about your patients and you may also listen to their stories of fear, pain and even suffering. You may also feel empathetic about experiencing similar emotions yourself. If you feel drawn to working in a busy and inner-city ER room, then you may witness many people experiencing some degree of traumatic stress. You may even be inclined to experience severe and persistent trauma yourself, and this can really take its toll. Some of the strategies that you can use when it comes to dealing with compassion fatigue include increasing the amount of social support you have while also banishing the feelings of blame and guilt. You can also try and participate in charity events if you feel as though this will make you feel better.
Get to the Root of the Issue
It’s so important that you get to the root of the issue. If you feel as though you are constantly being challenged with meeting deadlines or if you feel as though you are much better when you are dealing with things like forms when compared to people, then try and focus more on this if you can. It may be that you are more suited to office work. This doesn’t mean that you have to change professions, but it does mean that you need to shift your focus if possible. if you can do this, then you may find that your workplace stress is lessoned and this can work in your favor. Not many people are aware of this, but it may be that your career is a mismatch between your personality and your personal preferences. Take into account the way that you feel and the personality that you have, and you will soon find that you are able to feel way better about your job in general.
Of course, there are many things that you can do to try and relieve stress, and if you can follow this guide then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to stop issues such as emotional burnout and compassion fatigue too.
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