Stop. Just stop for a moment…stop and breathe. Breathe in kindness for yourself and the kindness of others. We want you to know that we are so thankful to each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication as we progress through this difficult time.
A few months ago, no one could have expected the virus scare that we are experiencing. We were bracing for a bad flu season, but Corona has shook us to our core.
But we are stronger than this. Yes, we ALL are definitely stronger than COVID-19.
Make Your Time-Off Count in Positive Ways
To remain at your best for your patients, you must remember to take care of yourself. It is easy to take your day off and max it to the fullest. Meal planning, bill paying, and doing laundry will easily fill your day — and before long, it’s bedtime again and you’re exhausted. Should you just plop down and binge watch Netflix? Well, yes and no. One or two shows is good to relax, but any more than that and you’re causing more detriment than help.
One positive way to relax includes reading a good book. Many of us have books lying around that we’ve been meaning to read for months (or perhaps, downloaded them onto our Kindle and never looked at them again). Reading for fun is a great way to allow your body to rest and recharge in a different way than watching television
Exercise can also be helpful to you; remote workout training, like the one here, can help you maintain your health. If that doesn’t interest you, you can also do milder exercises like yoga or Qi Gong in your basement from Youtube. Exercise is useful to work through the stress that we are facing right now.
Cooking is another fun way to utilize brain power and rest at the same time. Along with sharing recipes on Facebook, pull one or two of your favorites out and cook them again. Perhaps, it will be something comforting and simple like chocolate chip cookies or something more adventurous like Beef Bourguignon — either way, your home will smell amazing and your tastebuds will thank you.
One last often forgotten way to help your body recharge is through supplements. During these difficult and uncertain times, the mental stress that your body is fighting is equally as trying as the physical stress of work and illnesses. Supplements like ginger and Omega-3’s can help you naturally work through stress. Ginger is often used for a motion sickness remedy, but it also assists in aiding digestion, improving lung function by thinning secretions, and increasing your immunity (which we could all use more of nowadays).
Surviving Difficult Work Shifts
Like the old adage, to put your mask on first, here are some suggestions and ways that you can bring yourself healing while at work (yes, you can heal at work too!)
- Take a meal break. Just as your patients need nutrition to grow and heal, so does your body! Purposefully, leave the paperwork for a few moments and eat a good meal in peace and quiet.
- If you have a moment, go for a walk outside (abiding by the 6-foot personal space rule).
- Stretch and breathe in the break room. Five simple minutes of deep breathing and stretching can help restore your energy.
- Set dedicated times to listen to the news and check Facebook; don’t add to your stress levels unnecessarily.
- Write one or two notes of gratitude each day in a journal (or on your phone).
Supporting Others Too
In normal times of illness, the common thought is to go visit your friends and take them a gift of flowers or a meal. Social distancing does not mean that kindness to others just stops; it just means that we have to get a little more ingenious such as utilizing video chat, mailing a card to them, or bringing some groceries to their door Not only do we need to show thoughtfulness to each other, but we need it right now as a nation too. We cannot do it alone, but we will get through this…together.
Please accept this as our note of gratitude to you. We are so thankful to each and every one of you for tirelessly working and for simply not giving up. We here at ENSEARCH are cheering you on as we all go through the Corona Virus scare.
