While we might recognize the need to prioritize self-care, that can be challenging with the many other seemingly unrelenting demands on our time and energy, particularly during the past few months. Sometimes we just don’t know where to start.
Over the last few years, I have been fortunate to work with a coach, Greg Hiebert, whose insight and guidance have helped me find the balance I need to keep personal health and well-being as a priority. I especially appreciate Greg’s seven self-care strategies, which are easy to incorporate into our busy lives. I’d like to share those strategies with you here.
- Cultivate positive emotions. Happiness is a choice that each one of us can make. Spend a short time each day reflecting on three to five positive experiences – a practice called “hunting for the good.”
- Live with greater purpose and deeper meaning. Stay connected to your sense of purpose and reason for being, both personally and professionally. Think about when you feel most alive, excited and passionate. What is your big “why” for working in health care and pursuing your own personal goals?
- Deepen social bonds and empathy. Build nurturing relationships with people who have played an important part in your life. Authentic connections come only when we have the courage to be vulnerable and open to the support, help and insight from others.
- Reflect and express gratitude and appreciation. Keep a gratitude journal, where you write down three to five things, large or small, for which you are thankful each day. Express your appreciation to others in a handwritten note or another concrete way.
- Promote hope and optimism. Reflect on your best possible self and your best possible day, and think about how you can make each a reality. Having clear goals and the determination and plan to achieve them creates hope.
- Be mindful. Set aside a few minutes at least twice each day to de-stress and create emotional and mental distance from the many demands on your time, energy and attention. Put this time on your calendar and respect it as much as any other important meeting.
- Move your body throughout the day. Start each day with some form of movement. Once you begin work, take breaks every 60 to 90 minutes, at lunch and at the end of the day to get up and move by stretching, doing yoga or taking the stairs.
If you commit to making Greg’s seven self-care strategies a habit, they will soon become part of your daily routine. I think you will find that the potential benefits to your personal health and well-being are immeasurable.