Everyday pressure is put on healthcare providers’ shoulders as they walk in hospital corridors and hallways. The responsibility of taking care of patients to provide quality medical service to their patient’s mental and physical health has become their priority.
Their well-being is put second to the needs of others. It is especially true during the Covid19. Extreme stress and physical strain has affected their mental health drastically.
So, if you are a healthcare provider or know someone, share these tips to help them maintain a healthy mental state.
Here are five ways healthcare workers can take care of their mental health.
1. Take Care Of Physical Health
To take care of your mental health, you will need to take care of your physical health. There is a symbiotic relationship where one needs the other to grow and properly care for.
According to studies, you can take care of your physical health by doing any of the following:
- Eating healthy meals. Eating nutritious food is vital for keeping your physical health in top shape whenever you may need either an extra boost in energy or a way to boost your immune system. These nutritious foods provide essential vitamins for your body. An example of this would be to have a meal with ample amounts of vegetables to access those needed vitamins and nutrition.
- Exercising. Having a good daily exercise routine helps to improve your overall physical health. Exercising around 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Exercising has been studied to improve your mental health by decreasing depression and anxiety. Exercising, in general, also improves the overall mood of the person.
- Sleeping. Having a good sleep routine is very important for your physical health. A recommended amount is around 7-9 hours for a person to feel fully rested. Sleeping well also greatly impacts your mental health by having a better mood to wake up and decreasing the chances of depression. Any lack of sleep not only has detriments to physical health but also has implications for a healthy mental state.
2. Surround Yourself with Good and Supportive People
Whether at home or in the workplace, it is essential to choose the correct people to keep you accompanied. Surround yourself with people who have a positive and helpful attitude toward you and your success.
A study by Dr. Christakis of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Fowler of the University of California in San Diego states that people who often surround themselves with others tend to have better mental health. Having a support group or a group of people who will elevate your mental health with their optimistic and supportive presence when they are around you is imperative.
3. Learn to Manage Stress
Within the workplace and even at home, stress can be one of the most significant contributing factors to the decline of your mental health. Therefore, you must learn how to manage stress to better your mental health.
The truth is stress will always be a part of life no matter where you are or what you do. What is important is knowing how to manage the stress that comes your way. Find ways to relax and reduce stress by doing something you enjoy or taking care of your physical health. Humoring yourself by laughing can also be an excellent way to cope with stress. Many stress coping mechanisms and mental health services are available; it’s just a matter of finding out what best suits you.
4. Set Realistic Goals
It is crucial in life that we all know what we want to do so that we do what we can to achieve these aims that we call goals in our lives. Making goals for yourself helps alleviate some stress and makes finishing a daunting task seem much more manageable.
No matter what goal it is, it’s better to aim for a higher purpose to motivate yourself but try to aim for something realistic and achievable. This keeps your motivation to do something in check and will help your mental health now that those goals have put an order in your life.
5. Value Yourself
Everyone knows the saying, “you are your worst critic,” and to some degree, you can be the most considerable help or detriment to your mental health. We all have done self-criticism and continue to do, but be cautious and try to avoid doing this as much as possible. It will only help make you feel wrong about who you are.
Instead, focus on giving yourself compliments or self-affirmations to have a better relationship with yourself. Always treat yourself like you treat others, with respect and kindness.
It is time that you treat yourself with the respect and kindness that you would often give to others as well, and with that in mind, you will be able to love yourself a lot more and take care of a healthy mental state.
Conclusion
As a healthcare provider, your mental health should not come second to your patients. It is essential that you also take consider having good mental health.
When you take care of your mental health, you will radiate a more positive experience in your work environment, inspiring others to do the same. Remember that you are the best at what you do when you are at your best!
What other things do you do to take care of your mental health? Share your thoughts below!
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