Photo Credit: Richard Payette @thisusuallyworks (via Unsplash)

As helping professionals (nurses, doctors, therapists, massage therapists, counselors, dieticians, mental health counselors, etc.) we are there for our clients/patients physically, mentally, and emotionally every working day (and many non-working days). Although being a helping professional can be fulfilling, exciting, and meaningful, our commitment to caring for others can take a toll on our bodies, minds, relationships, etc. We often experience intense physical, psychological, and emotional demands in our work, leading to stress. Prolonged work-related stress can progress to burnout. Burnout leaves us feeling emotionally exhausted (e.g., compassion fatigue), disconnected from our professional identities (depersonalized), and lacking personal fulfillment in our work (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). Burnout can have effects on safety (e.g., errors in clinical judgment), relationships, and contributes to increased turnover (professionals leaving their roles).

Stress is, and will continue to be, a natural and expected part of our practice given the demanding nature of our role(s). We can’t prevent work-related stress but we can learn to approach and deal with stress differently. One approach to addressing the inevitable stress we face as helping professionals is to develop self-care strategies to help us cope with stressors. This post is the first in a series addressing self-care for helping professionals. The focus of this post is physical self-care.

Let’s start with physical self-care basics. Here are some questions to ask yourself about your current level of physical self care. Approach these questions with non-judgmental curiosity. Think of this as an opportunity to explore what you want to do to care for yourself. Please note: not all of these questions may be appropriate for you, especially if you’ve experienced body-related trauma. Self-care is about attending to your needs.

How many hours of sleep do you get on average? What time do you go to sleep and wake up?
Are you able to take time off/down time when needed? What do you do to relax?
How would you describe your usual eating pattern (e.g., chaotic, haphazard, eat at regular intervals, etc.)?
How would you describe the variety of foods that you’re currently eating?
How would you describe your daily hydration pattern? What kinds of liquids do you drink regularly?
How often do you drink alcohol and how much per occasion?
Do you use recreational drugs, tobacco, or vaping products? How often?
How often do you engage in physical activity? What about physical activity that is fun/recreational?
If desired, how often do you engage in body work (e.g., massages, stretching, cryotherapy, sauna, bath/soak, etc.)?
If desired, how often do you engage in breath work (e.g., meditation, yoga, etc.)?
If desired, are you able to take time to be sexual with yourself and/or (a) partner(s)? How often are you physically intimate with yourself and/or (a) partner(s)?
How would you describe the comfort of your current clothing and undergarments, including footwear (fit, feel of the material, airflow through the material, etc.)? If you’re on your feet for most of the day do you use compression socks?
How would you describe your current skin care routine (face and body, hair care)? What about skin protection (e.g., sunscreen)?
When was the last time you had preventative medical care (medical, dental, eye exams, etc.)?
Are you able to get medical care when needed?

Self-Care Reflection:

What trends did you notice in your physical self-care behaviors?
What strengths in your physical self-care behaviors do you have?
Are there areas of your physical self-care that you would like to begin addressing?

Pick one or two areas of physical self-care that you would like to, and are willing to, consistently work on. Describe at least one strategy that you are willing to consistently implement. I had an instructor in nursing school who used to say to us when we were stressed, “If you have to eat an entire whale, take one bite at a time.” Approaching self-care is the same way- one small step at a time.

Example: Drinking more water

“I will work on consistently drinking more water by bringing my reusable water bottle with me to work every day.”

Self-compassion is an important part of strengthening your self-care. This process is not about “being perfect”, it’s about taking steps to make yourself a priority!!

Reference:

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M.P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111. doi: 10.1002/wps20311.

Nurture Notes for Helping Professionals: Physical Self-Care