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How does what you do for yourself impact what you do for others? How do you keep your LITTLE LIGHT shining?
How does what you do for yourself impact what you do for others?
How do you keep your LITTLE LIGHT shining?
How do you remember to care for yourself?
Krista Tippett does an incredible job walking us through the concept of compassion, as it is the core of what shapes our culture. In Tippet's talk Reconnecting With Compassion, Tippet says “Compassion is also curious. Compassion cultivates and practices curiosity.”
Then Tippet speaks to us on how compassion “is never in the first instance about changing the world; it’s in the first instance about changing ourselves.” This is the part that this question is focused on how we bring ourselves into the work we do everyday by knowing ourselves and our needs first.
Tippet eloquently shares the story of compassion exampled by a variety of people from different backgrounds including Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Rachel Naomi Remen and Einstein. She told us how Rachel Naomi Remen says “this is an important and empowering story for our time, because this story insists that each and every one of us, frail and flawed as we may be, inadequate as we may feel, has exactly what’s needed to help repair the part of the world that we can see and touch.”
This is the true heart of nursing for me, the part that enlists us each to this calling. How do we as nurses care first for ourselves in order to bring this heart into the practice of medicine or perhaps in other work we might be doing.
Kate Blake 10+
From what I've seen most work too hard, too long, indulge unhealthy habits eg smoke or drink - and haven't learnt to say NO yet! Learning to say No would be a great start for most nurses that I know. "Survival" of medical professionals was a favourite of mine ... most are on a collision path for burn out with trying to be omnipotent to everyone. Or has nursing changed radically since I've been out of that field?
Just the on-going training needs for accreditation is a big ask ... Learning healthy coping techniques is a must; being realistic about just how much you can do; accepting that you are mere mortals! Need i continue ...
Sorry about the rave ... anything we do has a ripple effect on those around us. Just think how tense situations get just when we are tired - with work, with kids, just shopping. Every little thing impacts on others, its the energy we put out even if we don't say a single word or explode with emotion. Nurses seem particularly rigid about sharing those?
Me, I've needed to learn 'balance' to keep going, the middle way in everything - time for others and time for me. Regular 'treats' and when busy professionally I sincerely believe we must report to someone we deeply respect in order to 'debrief' regularly! Debriefing is a must for sanity! In order to care for others I do believe we must learn to care for ourselves or we will often run on empty ... am I making sense?
Autumn Frisco 10+
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QUOTE: nurse care for her/himself? That sounds like a great challenge!
Yes it is a great challenge but many nurses understand this as a must.
QUOTE: From what I've seen most work too hard, too long, indulge unhealthy habits eg smoke or drink - and haven't learnt to say NO yet!
The unhealthy habits is not something I would tag onto nurses, that is something all professionals deal with and I would never generalize as a problem in nursing, even though I understand where you are coming from in that statement.
I agree that many nurses work very hard and very long and that is beginning to be recognized as a problem worth correcting. The solution I think lays in policy changes regarding safe staffing as an example. As far as learning to say no, I feel this being less of the problem as feeling empowered to stand up for the profession in order to enact change.
I love your point about needing to debrief regularly, there is a need for everyone to feel heard unconditionally. I do not believe in complaining, I feel as thought it puts me more on edge, but the mere fact that someone listens to the fact I am having a 'long' day helps a million.
I love to hear that you take your 'me time' seriously! Great response I am glad to have it!
Kate Blake 10+
You are right I should not have generalised about nurses only but I would disagree that ALL professionals share these four traits – it’s been my experience that some [generally] are more likely to take time out for themselves at various levels. But I would dare to suggest that ‘service’ personnel - which would include most hospital, nursing home and ambulance staff, police and defence personnel, social and youth workers – generally do have such issues?
Why? Because many went into their chosen profession in order to ‘help others’, and are then confronted with hierarchical violence, dysfunctional teams, death and regularly attend to some of humanities worst case scenarios ... which often leave a sense of being overwhelmed by both the physical and emotional challenges such positions offer. And that wish to ‘rescue’ often leads to ‘neglecting’ one’s own well-being ... am sure that you will correct me if I am wrong about any of this.
These ‘helping’ or service personnel, more than others, need to be very aware of ‘burn out’ issues. Taking care of oneself should be a priority in order to counteract the daily drain or toll of such positions. Standing up for change is a good start.
What I call ‘debriefing’ is often referred to as supervision – but be wary of workplace supervision as it can hold ‘traps’. By selecting a respected colleague ‘outside’ one’s workplace allows for that ‘debrief’ to be effective on many levels. For example I mainly used it for workplace issues and occasionally for personal ones. If you sincerely ‘trust’ that person these sessions – always took an hour off at the end of the work day – ensures you keep a ‘balance’ and is a great backup for when real disaster hits.
Autumn Frisco 10+
I am glad you clarified your debriefing comment. I think it is smart for us yes to debrief once you clarified. Not only smart but necessary! I guess everyone debriefs in different ways, perhaps seeing a therapist, blogging, calling a friend, meditation, seeking solice with a collegue. Some ways of debriefing are potentially more productive than others, it is finding what keeps you at your own personal best.
Thanks for your insight, it is very valuable to have outsider looking in validating the necesity of self-care for nurses and the laundry list of helping professionals.