module 2 | Activity 16: Adopting self-care strategies

Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of physical, relational/social, emotional and spiritual health.[1, 2] It starts with the recognition that people have multiple personal dimensions to attend to in order to live a “good” life, including:[3]

Physical	What is happening to my state of health and wellbeing?
Emotional	How do I feel during and after I finish work?
Cognitive	How do I make sense of my experiences at work?
Relational	How has work affected my relationships (family, friends)?
Spiritual	How have my faith and personal meanings changed?

Protective practices will:[1]

• Help compartmentalise work from the rest of life – identify ways to leave the job behind
• Clarify and support staff in establishing professional boundaries
• Promote emotional and physical health, and
• Include regular self-care techniques for managing stress.

Strategies for personal self-care include a range of activities and these are unique to the individual:[4-7]

• Prioritising relationships including those with family and close friends
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by ensuring adequate sleep, regular exercise, and time for holidays
• Participating in recreational activities and hobbies
• Practicing mindfulness and meditation
• Pursuing spiritual development
• Ensuring that you have pleasurable activities scheduled regularly
• Maintaining a routine
• Exercising regularly
• Learning relaxation techniques and practicing them regularly
• Having goals – both at work and personally
• Accepting the feelings that often come up working with people who are dying.

Consider the following expert opinion on adopting self-care strategies: