Healthcare professionals are indisputably valuable to society because they are known for standing at the forefront of danger and serving as national heroes. However, the responsibility of ensuring everyone’s well-being comes at a cost. That cost is usually radical stress, which can have various consequences for both workers and their patients.
In terms of the symptoms or causes, stress among healthcare professionals can stem from almost anything. From feeling out of control and helpless to worrying all the time, from the long working hours to the demanding study schedules – anything can cause a healthcare worker to dive into a pit of despair. Regardless of the signs, acknowledging stress and discovering ways to ease it is critical for anyone, especially healthcare professionals who must perform their duties properly.
So here are a few stress management strategies for physicians, nurses, first responders, and other healthcare professionals to help manage their stress.
- Discover your stressbusters
As mentioned earlier, healthcare is a stressful landscape, and every worker is bound to experience a mental collapse. In addition, a lack of knowledge regarding a specific event can also trigger stress (the COVID-19 pandemic is one predominant example). However, that doesn’t mean there is no way out. Many emergency management degrees, such as an online masters degree in disaster management, allow aspiring individuals to improve their response management tactics and save lives.
Finding what works best for you in stress management can take some time. If more traditional activities, such as meditation or exercise, work for you, keep doing them. On the other hand, if singing, dancing, listening to music, or expressing your emotions works well for you, do it.
- Talk it out as much as you can
Therapy might be your last resort when dealing with stress and burnout, but it is worth a try. Keeping feelings of unhappiness or anxiety locked inside a box is never healthy. Thus, engaging in cognitive behavioral or talk therapy can help minimize stress. On the other hand, it’s okay if therapy doesn’t work for you or you feel uncomfortable talking things out with a stranger. You can always confide in your loved ones.
Bear in mind that your feelings are genuine. So having someone validate your emotional issues and stress can benefit your mental health.
- Take a break between shifts.
It’s critical to get as much rest as possible in between shifts. Like drinking and eating, sleep is a biological requirement, and taking a break can help you reset and physically recharge. Insufficient sleep has been linked to decreased neurological performance and functioning and an increase in the rate of injury and poor health behaviors. So use time-saving practices, such as Uber Eats, and save yourself from the troubles of cooking. You can also try listening to mindfulness podcasts before going to bed.
- Remember that you are human
It’s okay to have negative thoughts sometimes caused by anxiety, stress, or grief. However, recognizing these emotions is the first step toward minimizing them. As a healthcare professional, you are more vulnerable to excessive stress, moral distress, and secondary traumatic stress because you make important (and often challenging) care decisions. So don’t forget to practice self-compassion and recognize that you are not alone in your feelings.
- Make time for self-care every day.
It may be tempting to minimize the importance of your well-being to focus more on patient care, but doing so is detrimental to your mental health. So schedule moments of self-care into your daily schedule. Consume meals regularly. Engage in meditation and mindfulness, exercise breath awareness, or read a good book on mental health awareness.
Take a break from social media and the news. Instead, make a call to a loved one and talk for a while. These don’t have to be ostentatious, but doing a few things for yourself every day goes a long way toward improving your mental and physical health.
- Take care of your brain, and it will take care of you.
You can do a lot to protect your mental health, some of which may seem evident, such as drinking responsibly. We frequently drink alcohol to improve our emotions. Still, the impact is temporary and makes us feel worse after it wears off. Keep this in mind the next time you reach for the bottle. Another thing you could try is to do something you appreciate. What did you enjoy doing in the past? What activities can you get lost in?
Doing something you appreciate means you’re probably good at it, and accomplishing something helps boost your self-esteem.
- Exercise.
Healthcare professionals are supposed to stand on their feet the entire day. So it is understandable if going for a jog is the last thing on your mind. However, studies show that exercise can help your body cope with the physiological effects of stress. If you can’t get to the gym, try running up and down the stairs, walking around the block, or dancing to decompress after a long shift.
- Get help if necessary.
It’s always important to be aware of your mental health, but it’s imperative in high-stress circumstances. And it’s not just for your own mental and emotional health. If you neglect your mental health, you may not be capable of treating your patients as effectively.
Furthermore, healthcare providers are at a high risk of burnout and post-traumatic stress, which are predominant during the pandemic. This makes it even more crucial for healthcare workers to be mindful and proactive of their stress levels and learn how to manage them. If things spiral out of control, seeking help as quickly as possible is essential.
Conclusion
Since healthcare is unpredictable and overly stressful, all workers must embrace the power of “self-care” and develop a strategy that overpowers the stress. And yes, taking care of ourselves may seem obvious. Still, it is critical to be delicate with ourselves and remember to treat our minds and bodies with kindness. By following the above-said stress management strategies, healthcare workers can make the most of their profession and exemplify persistence and hard work.
