Taking Care of You

by | Jul 21, 2011 | 0 comments

…So I wanted to write about caring for the self as it keeps popping up in my life recently.  I have struggled with accepting a new job offer because I worry that going back to a full-time position at Hopkins (while working on my business in my spare time) will leave me without time for self-care.  I was in a meeting yesterday with a nurse manager who was discussing how nurses on her unit do not take time out for themselves, even a few brief minutes to get a bite to eat.  I was reading the article posted on Nurse Together that discussed nurses needing to re-energize during a busy shift and the ways to do so in a healthy manner.  I have been conversing with others on my blog and Facebook page recently about their own self-care habits and routines.  I have been hearing those in my office talking with each other about healthy lunches.  So I felt I wanted to post today about the importance of self-care and some ideas of how to take care of you!…

…Taking time out to care for yourself can remind you and others that you and your needs are important, too.  If you neglect your own needs and forget to nurture yourself you are in danger of deeper levels of unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings of resentment.  If you spend your time only taking care of others you could be at risk for getting burned out from all the giving, which makes it more difficult to care you.  Taking time to care for yourself regularly can make you a better caregiver for others.  I mean, think of the old plane analogy.  If a plane was going down who do you put the air mask on first; you or your child?  People tend to immediately think of the child, but actually you should save yourself first in order to be able to help the child.  If you only give a mask to the child and you are not getting any oxygen what help will you be if that child needs you further?…

…Some problems that can arise from not taking care of yourself can include, but are not limited to: depression, sleep trouble, hair loss, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity, decreased work productivity, absenteeism, compassion fatigue, and burnout.  When not taking care of yourself sleep may suffer.  Stress may increase.  Eating can be sporadic and unhealthy.  Relationships could suffer and family or co-workers may notice changes…

…Ideas of ways to take care of yourself are endless.  Some that I practice are the following:

    • Going to bed each night at the same time and getting up at the same time so that I may get 7-9 hours of restful sleep per night
    • Drinking half my body weight in ounces of water per day (or at least striving to by drinking water all day instead of sugary, caffeinated sodas and juices)
    • Taking time in silence with meditation or self-reiki treatments
    • Appreciating things by journaling each day what I am grateful for
    • Soaking in a hot bath with aromatherapy and New Age music playing
    • Running, cycling, or weight-lifting
    • Practicing Yoga

…Others that come to mind immediately are: massage, acupuncture, retreats, cooking classes or just cooking, deep-condition your hair, tend to your nails, get a foot massage, walking, energy work, prayer, napping, saying “no”, dance, music, any spa treatment, etc.  Please feel free to share more ideas with us so that I may learn some new techniques and others may come to find out what you are doing to care for yourself…

So what have you done for yourself lately?  How do you re-energize?  What revitalizes you?  What do you do to take care of you?

 

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