As a care provider you play a pivotal role in the healthcare industry. As custodians of the wellbeing of precious family members of the local community, it offers an amazing opportunity to demonstrate a strong commitment to running a care home that is full of life and vitality.
As we all navigate out of the pandemic it’s natural to be concerned about the mental toll it’s taking on not just ourselves, but those we care about too. It’s within all our gifts to promote health, prevent disease, and maintain health in all our environments; at home for ourself and our families, in social circles for our friends, and also at work for our colleagues. The physical and mental safety of those closest to us is something many of us want to help protect.
Self-Compassion
It takes a level of determination to be gentle and show true care towards ourselves, but if we are to help others appropriately, then we must above all learn to invest in our wellbeing by taking ownership of our personal health.
Real self-care should not be confused with indulgence. Indulgence is a luxury, often short-lived. You may stocking up on the multi-deals that retailers tell us we owe ourselves to consume, with an abundance of ‘treats’ that probably taste so good because we know they’re so bad for us. Spoiling ourselves to a top-notch spa day has a feel-good factor attached to it that doesn’t last very long. Tucking into that burger and chips, washed down with few pints or a bottle of wine, followed by a chocolate brownie chaser feels like a nice idea, for a little while at least. Because we’re so worth it, right?
The reality of self-care looks much different to this. It’s about taking a hard look at aspects of your life that are not serving you well, and setting about making permanent changes to break those habits that are holding you in a perpetual, unhelpful loop – maybe a state of sadness, anxiety, weight issues, or lifestyle health problems. That would be the ultimate treat for yourself.
Real self-care is addressing a relationship that makes you feel bad about yourself all the time or drains your energy. Good, healthy relationships where we are heard, treated with respect, and cherished, help us to feel valued and confident.
Understanding your attitude towards money and spending habits is caring for yourself. Financial health is as important as any other. How you think about money could stem back to childhood and form patterns that tend to stick around because you weren’t aware that they even existed.
Take a look at our Balance Wheel which can help you notice how you take care of yourself at the moment, and give you some direction to improve your regime.
It’s never too late to change and form new habits which can transform your life in a multitude of ways. This will in turn put yourself in a better position to guide others to transform their own situation. By first acknowledging our own prevailing lifestyle patterns, we can then make plans to restore the balance, leading towards experiencing a happier, healthier, and more fulfilled life.
How to use our Balance Wheel
Make space for true self-care by setting the scene for a healthier, happier, more fulfilled life. With determined effort to make real changes in areas of relationships, personal health and growth, you can transform how you feel.
Self-love and compassion are not narcissistic or selfish. Give yourself the room to be human. Our flaws and imperfections can connect us with one another, not set us apart. Yes, our thoughts and actions might not be helpful sometimes about ourselves, and that’s part of being human. None of us can be perfect, but we can live purposefully towards a lifestyle that helps us feel calmer, be healthier physically, and stronger mentally.
Use our Balance exercise to reflect on areas of your life that, if given focus, would create a better balance for your overall wellbeing. You could even rate how satisfied you are with each aspect, then create an action plan to increase the scores by a few points each month.
Nutritional Diet & Energy Balance: Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs. It’s fundamental to nutritional health to understand what you are consuming. Be curious.
Training Body & Mind: Exercising your mind is as important as exercising your body. Being physically active will 100% improve your life. Mindful meditation will help you to deal with thoughts in a more objective way and also has many health benefits.
Positive Relationships & Healthy Connections: Healthy relationships fulfil us and enrich our spirit, improving our esteem, and give meaning to our lives.
Relaxation & Sleep Health: Relaxing and sleep are crucial factors in our wellbeing and our ability to function at our best. Effort should be given in finding relaxation techniques and sleep strategies as they are an important cog in overall health.
Financial Health & Worklife: Financial anxiety causes stress, as does constant pressure at work – both taking their toll on our health and wellbeing. Acknowledging those pressures and taking positive measures to address these kinds of situations will help to manage feelings of worry and unease.
Nourishing Activities: Joy, laughter, creativity, gardening, walking in nature, and self-development are all activities that contribute towards positive emotional health. Also practising kindness and gratitude helps us to feel good about ourselves.
Sense of Purpose & Peace: This is shaped by your personal code of behaviour, being true to yourself and having the courage to live by your own values. Also understanding your own self-worth and knowing you have a positive impact on others leads to a more satisfying existence.
