Working in Healthcare is not for the faint of heart. Certainly, it can be a rewarding career, however, it takes patience, perseverance, and personal upkeep (self-care) to sustain a healthy and enjoyable career and balanced lifestyle. The mental, emotional, and physical demands of working in healthcare are real and cumulative.
Whether you are a student or newly entering the medical field or have been working for years as a healthcare professional, your daily self-care routine and outlook on health matters. Good health and happiness is a choice you make every day and as a healthcare provider, it is also what you model in practice for your patients. Taking care of your health matters because it affects every aspect of your life! As a physical therapist, with over two decades of working to help people restore their health and livelihood, the necessity of closely tuning-in to my personal health becomes ever more apparent as I witness greater complexity of patient health struggles and deeply disturbing healthcare challenges involving patients and their families, healthcare practitioners, as well as the healthcare system at large.
The decision to enter the medical field requires an understanding of the stamina and resiliency necessary to be an effective and empathic health caregiver, healer, and leader. The stress can begin early on in the formative years of training and internship, and continue throughout one’s career. Without the awareness, life-skills, and coping strategies, this becomes a set-up for illness, injury, detachment, and burnout. The reality is the day to day pace of being in healthcare has varying and cumulative levels of stress that can begin to feel overwhelming and exhausting, and can lead to discouragement and burnout before you know it.
Here are a few questions to help you check-in with yourself:
1. Are you passionate and compassionate about caring for others?
2. Are you working in alignment with your values?
3. Do your feel fulfilled at the end of your day?
4. Are you caring enough to be curious and interested today as when you first started in healthcare?
5. What do you do daily to nurture your mind, heart, and body?
Caring for yourself matters! I am here as your advocate. I created a Self-Care FIT TIPS guide for you. Here’s the LINK to download your personal guide.
Interested in PRIVATE or CUSTOMIZED GROUP COACHING? Let’s have a heart-to-heart conversation about your healthcare career. Click HERE to Schedule your FREE 30 min. consultation to learn more.
Dr. Deborah S. Howell, Physical Therapist, Author, and Veteran is the Founder and CEO of Victory in Action LLC, specializing in Heart-Focused Leadership and Empowerment training. She is a Medical Health Advisor and Advocate for healthcare professionals and leaders experiencing high levels of stress, personal detachment, or challenged with life and career transition. Her medical advisory and life coaching services help healthcare professionals and leaders recharge, renew, and restore a sense of well-being and life purpose.
