Wellbeing crosses all areas of life – from emotional, psychological, physical to socio-economic well-being. According to the CDC, well-being is defined as “a positive outcome that is meaningful for people… because it tells us that people perceive that their lives are going well”. We all want to feel like our lives are going well, and feel like we have some form of control over what happens to us.
When people focus on creating lives that are balanced, and authentic to who they are, it builds a sense of resilience to the daily stressors of their work, clients and family. In other words, when people feel well, they have a buffer that protects them from outside negative forces. But all this takes time and effort, which we do inside our hospital wellness strategy, The ProMind Experience.
Key Insights On Burnout Today
Perhaps you felt left behind after investing your nursing career and COVID-19 has taken away your greatest professional accomplishment… and the last thing you want to do is create that same sense of disappointment within yourself again. But in reality, your emotional and physical wellbeing has suffered as a result of your work-related stresses. You just don’t have that buffer, and everything is negatively affecting you. You’re not alone!
Up to 66% of nurses fail to manage their workplace stress and burnout.
The numbers are similar for midwives, at a rate of burnout of 55% and oncologists are burning out at a rate of 33-50%.
The business effects of this are staggering… not to mention the lost hopes, dreams and opportunity cost for your family. We live in an environment that makes stress a socially acceptable phenomenon. People are either chasing rewards, or running from fear. All of this causes a tremendous strain on our body-mind-spirit connection. Enough of this damn stress, that’s challenging your precious night’s sleep. Enough of this darn stress that’s getting in the way of your daily exercise routine too. Stop all that nonsense right now, that’s interfering with your faith in yourself! Isn’t it time to put yourself first, give yourself a break, and nurture your sense of well-being?
Here are my 5 ways to wellbeing for health practitioners:
1. Create A Powerful Morning Ritual
Start your morning out by creating a powerful morning ritual to feel emotionally-charged for the day. I always have random notes by my bedside with affirmations. I wake-up with reminders that support my desires right from the start. This can create positive change. A powerful morning routine can also include a new coffee/tea ritual (decaf is great too!). Perhaps there’s a new local coffee roaster in town, waiting to have you indulge in their “morning brew”? Or your wellness routine can also include a special bulletproof coffee recipe. It’s “an energizing, keto-friendly coffee drink that has guided everyone from driven CEOs to professional athletes to busy parents to GET. MORE. DONE”. (here’s a link to the bulletproof.com coffee-recipe).
There’s always the option of purchasing a NewMe Yoga Mat to do some yogic stretches. This helps us get in the flow of things first thing – while incorporating some deep breathing, meditation or prayer (see more links below on meditation’s benefits. A short prayer can bring you an instant feeling of wellness. You don’t necessarily need a yoga mat. Deep breathing disengages the sympathetic nervous system and activates your parasympathetic nervous system – which controls the relaxation response. If you’re already having a tough time getting out of bed, and a yoga mat might look like an extension of your cozy mattress, perhaps shift your focus on things that invigorate you, like hopping in a shower or having some citrus essential oils available. Most importantly, make the morning a powerful ritual that kick starts your day, and leads you to feeling well and nurtured (see strategies for self-regulation).
2. Bless Your Past For Lessons Learned
…as a result, you can immerse yourself in the future!
Often our troubles from the past leave us feeling physically sluggish and psychologically unmotivated. They weigh us down, and create behaviour patterns that we’re often unaware of, which can also anchor us in negative ways. All this to say, you’re then prevented from being healthy and well during present day reality. What seemed especially relevant during the height of a challenging event can also be viewed from a different perspective afterwards. This is often true within moments, holding valuable lessons that can lead us to better wellbeing.
To improve your sense of wellbeing, send your past version of you a little “blessing” and thank it for protecting you. Take a pause, right now. Evaluate what you learned from those challenges, and ask your past to point you to your future self. Each day, we’re being tested by the forces of the universe to grow and become a better version of ourselves. Perhaps you can finish this sentence: “It’s never too late to ____________, and ___________”. And this final sentence can also support your past, present and future too: “Everything is _________________ regardless of __________________.”
3. Create An Evening Beauty Ritual
Just like you prepare your morning to feel good, taking a moment in the evening to create a ritual around looking your best. Maybe you need to hit Sephora.com and invest in an evening beauty routine that holds a unique purpose in your life? Do you need to replace toxic products for the more enviro/skin-friendly ones? The purpose to writing an article on the 5 ways to wellbeing is to shift your body and mind from the repetitive strains of daily life. Plan this evening ritual around intention. And try to release the energies of the day so you can become your most beautiful and restful self. This is one great way to set-up your body for more restful sleep (see Episode 39 on Getting Quality Sleep).
When you’re creating this evening beauty ritual, think of 3 key words that can help ground you in the intention of well-being. Here’s the thing…most health professionals drink a lot of caffeine to keep going at all hours of the day and night. Perhaps there are supplements you know you need, that can be included in this beauty ritual. When you deliver the right kinds of foods in the right sequence, you get a body fuelled on taking action, and getting results.
Alright, think of the #1 action item you can implement every evening to get you one-step closer to looking like the best version of you. And remember those 3 key words from earlier too.
4. Journal To Spark Your Imagination
According to The University of Rochester, journaling can help you manage anxiety, reduce stress and cope with depression. Having a journaling practice is also a great way to practice self-compassion, and also spark your imagination (especially with problem-solving!!). Writing helps us to stop overthinking and gives us a chance to do a brain-dump. Of course, you want what’s best for everyone around you, and journaling can help support your dreams and what’s best for you (and your family). It provides us a tremendous opportunity for positive self-talk and helps us identify negative thoughts and behaviors. You can also create a new way of seeing the world through writing. It’s one of my most powerful strategies, next to meditation.
Tips to get started on your journaling practice:
– >> Write daily to continue sparking your prior train of thought.
– >> Allow yourself to doodle, if it feels right.
->> Use the same pen at each writing session.
->> Close your eyes regularly to shift out of high-pressure beta brain waves (activates the alpha state).
Writing prompts:
->> How do you behave when you’re afraid?
->> What are your professional goals at this time?
->> If you could do anything without failing, what would you do?
->> What was your favourite vacation?
->> How do you challenge your personal growth?
->> What spiritually fulfills you each day?
5. Loosen The Grip On Your Mind Through Mindfulness
Sometimes people keep busy in order to avoid their true feelings. As a result, they manage stress by further exhausting the body and thus the mind. Instead, if you learn that endorphins are powerful, that they hook us into seeking wins and positive experiences, you can eventually ease into alternate forms of relaxation. Such a version of relaxation is mindfulness. Mindfulness is acknowledging the present moment, and being present in it. Right now is all you’ve got. You truly have no idea what happens in the next. Mindfulness, as well as meditation, can anchor you to the present moment. And although there are many myths to meditation, there are numerous benefits. When learned to be done properly, you can train your mind to allow thoughts to pass you by like innocent bystanders – further loosening the grip on your mind. This allows for physical, emotional, psychological and even spiritual wellbeing.
In The Benefits of Everyday Mindfulness include improved attention, emotional regulation , greater compassion, reduced overall stress and improvement in applying strategies learned, and reduction in anxiety. Much of the scientific research on meditation shows similar results. This includes, but not limited to, the activation of the prefrontal cortex, which helps with emotional regulation and executive cognitive function. When you’re mindful you can reduce stress, you can shift your thoughts to happier ones, and you can focus better. By simply learning to observe your mind, you can take control over how you want to feel instead of letting your obsessing thoughts run the show.
Conclusion
Being positive goes hand-in-hand with being happy and being well. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson claims that we all have certain “unalienable” rights, among which he counts “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Being happy or positive is a long-standing debate amongst philosophers, but there are some basic components to achieving happiness and a state of positivity. We all need our basic human needs and resources taken care of, as well as a supportive social circle. These two contribute to having a stable environment, which are important for being positive.
When successful people are asked about what makes them happy in life, one of the keys is in the way we talk to ourselves. Tony Robbins holds the opinion that you should think of your inner self (mind, body and soul) as the ultimate garden. What you plant in the garden (of your mind) is exactly what you should expect to sow. This takes me back to my first point on creating a powerful morning routine; affirmations are key! Head over to my article on 3 Ways To Be More Positive to get on that positive trajectory.
Added Insights
Did you know that 80% of employees who work at companies with robust health and wellness programs feel engaged and cared for by their employers?
Partnering with Satori Health & Wellness Coaching, hospitals are engaging their frontline staff at being healthy and well, and improving the lives of their staff everyday. Workplace health promotion programs hold tremendous value in improving staff retention. They help employees be healthier. When you have a healthy workforce, they have greater performance. This is what makes workplace health promotion a staple in many organizations. In addition to enhanced performance, workplace health programs help keep their employees happy and productive. Imagine the support we could add to your team?
Articles on Meditation’s Benefits Below
1. Satori’s The Mantra Studio, FAQs
2. How Meditation Helps for Stress-Management
3. Episode 33. 5 Interesting Facts On Meditation
4. Blog post: 4 Easy Steps To Build A Meditation Practice
5. Create Your Own Meditation Space – Episode 15 Satori Radio Podcast
6. A Guided Meditation
7. Gratitude Meditation
Articles On Mindfulness
1. Baking and Cooking as Mindfulness Activities
2. The Benefits of Everyday Mindfulness
3. Your Own Happy Pill Through Mindfulness Coaching
4. Episode 61 on strategies for Self-regulation
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