Self-Care is NOT Selfish
By: American Nurses Association
Look up and years have gone by without vacations, retreats, or breaks. Do that for too long and you will find yourself physically exhausted and mentally frazzled.
Self-care can be as lavish as an eight-day vacation or as simple as spending a few minutes each day doing nothing. No thinking, no social media, nothing. Just you, sitting and breathing, being in touch with your body and your inner self.
Think about it like this: in order to serve others, we must pull from a full cup, not a drained and depleted one.
Here are several reasons why you shouldn’t feel selfish for taking care of yourself:
Self-care does not mean you do not care about others.
In fact, taking time to take care of yourself ensures that you will be able to fully address the needs of others in a meaningful and effective way.
Self-care is essential.
Without self-care you will be no good to anyone, not even yourself. Not taking care of yourself leads to exhaustion, depression, and apathy. You need to take time to regroup, recharge, and relax!
Self-care is about taking positive and sustainable action.
Nurses are often born caregivers, but when you don’t take care of yourself it often leads to burnout. Many nurses have left the profession because of this. It is important to take action to keep positive energy flowing so you can be at your best.
Think about how you want to show up in this world.
Do you want to be a healthy role model, a dependable employee, an effective leader? Do you want to do good work? Do you want to be the best version of you?
Practicing self-care is you acknowledging your right to take care of yourself.
It is about how you see yourself. You are worthy and respected. You have a right to take care of yourself.
Examples of Self-Care
- Rest, sleep, slowing down; listening to calming music, solitude and reflection.
- Stimulating, creative, and enriching activities like reading books, learning new skills, creating art, music, or writing.
- Receiving support from others such as mentorship, massage, or exercise.
- Taking some time away from the routine.
Never let self-care trigger feelings of guilt. This is not pampering, this is doing what you need to do so that you can be your best to yourself and to others.
What are you doing to take care of yourself today?
Sources:
http://www.unimedliving.com/self-care/what-is-self-care/self-care-is-not-selfish.html
https://dailynurse.com/self-care-is-not-selfish/
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