Top 8 Stress Management Tips For Healthcare Workers During Covid -19
6 min read
Covid-19 has affected everyone’s mental health. Most people have lost the people they were closest to or have seen people losing someone and they could do nothing about it.
The worst part about covid-19 is not being able to have the last touch with someone who will not make it out alive. The last memory engraved in your heart is just seeing their face thinking it’s just a fever, they will be alright in no time and you will continue with your daily life. No one would have thought how wrong you were.
Now imagine the immense mental stress the healthcare workers would have been under by seeing people die right in their front of eyes, risking their own life by providing treatment to them. Staying away from their family so that the infection does not get carried to them.
Providing help to people in their time of need is their work but that does not make it easier for them. They are also humans that feel emotions but they have to conceal their emotions and be strong in front of their patients so that they do not lose their hope.
Even when all the healthcare workers are doing for us there are some people who are making it more difficult for them. Not wearing a mask in public, being present in a large crowd, and lastly, people not taking their vaccines. Along with this, there are also some people who refuse to get tested even if they have the symptoms of covid-19.
All in all, being a healthcare worker in this time is not easy, but no healthcare worker has stepped down or backed out from their responsibilities.
But this does not mean that they are not having a constant battle in their minds, they just know how to conceal it. Bottling up all the stress can become tiring after some time, which is also not good for mental health as well as physical health.
This is where stress management should be performed by the healthcare workers so that their performance is not affected in any way and their health does not deteriorate.
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The following stress management could be adapted by the healthcare workers:
1. Exercise
The time constraints for the healthcare workers are very less and exercising might seem more like extra work on your already filled schedule. But the healthcare workers might know about the benefits exercising has on your body.
During exercise, our body is responsible for releasing a set of hormones that alleviates our mood and provides energy to the body.
The duration of exercise is not required to be very long, take out 20-30 minutes from your schedule, you will surely feel a positive result of exercising on your body.
The exercise routine can include anything:
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Running
- Dancing
- Zumba
- Aerobics
It is possible that the healthcare workers do not have the proper facilities for exercising so they can follow the following points:
- Use stairs instead of elevators
- Walk to stores instead of taking your car
- Park your vehicle at some distance from your home
2. Meditation and Yoga
If exercising seems like a tedious task for the healthcare workers then they can indulge in meditation.
Meditation requires a quiet place where you can focus on yourself or an object for some time. Meditation helps in reducing anxiety and keeps negative thoughts at bay. It takes more than ten to fifteen minutes at the least.
Along with meditation, there are various types of yoga postures that can help you in relaxing and refresh your mind.
When you feel that you are not in control of what is happening around you, try taking deep breaths, it will get better after some time.
3. Sleep
This stress management tip will feel like an impossibility for the healthcare workers but it is very important.
The schedules of healthcare workers are filled to the brim and many times they have to attend the emergency calls which are not in their schedules. This means very few hours of proper sleep.
Proper sleep constitutes 7-8 hours in a day but if that is not possible try taking short naps whenever it is possible. Short naps have the immediate effect of energizing people. The duration of the short nap should not exceed more than 1 hour as it can make you feel more sleepy and exhausted.
If your schedule allows then never compromise with your sleep and take the proper amount of it. Oversleeping can also sometimes affect your body negatively.
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4. Proper Diet
The healthcare workers are so engrossed in giving the best to their patients that they sometimes forget about their own needs.
Having a proper meal which is filled with nutrition and other important minerals is very important. Food is the fuel of our body, without it, no one can function effectively.
Have a diet chart laid out from the beginning so that you remember all your meals and follow them with your heart. Taking a cheat day or two can be done but healthy eating will make your body active and less exhaustive.
5. Connect with others
At this time, cutting off from people can have a severe impact on your mental health. Humans are known as social animals who need others to talk to, listen to their problems, or just being present is enough.
There will be no time to contact people who are outside your healthcare facilities but try to have as much contact as you can.
Text or call your family members and friends, catch up on what they are doing, it will surely take your mind away for some time.
For a mind refresh, social media can be used. Social media is very beneficial in these times as people all around the world can post what they are going through, and display their real emotions.
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6. Make Time for your Hobbies
The situations are so overwhelming that the healthcare workers do not spend enough time on themselves.
Hobbies are something that makes people happy as they are the most comfortable in performing those without any fear of judgment.
Try performing your hobbies, take out 15-20 minutes and dedicate it solely to it.
Painting, reading, dancing, singing, and playing an instrument will surely reduce your stress levels.
7. Express Gratitude
We are very thankful to all the healthcare workers who have around the clock in saving our lives.
Just like this, the healthcare workers should make it a practice to list out things and people that they are grateful to.
This technique helps in reducing negative emotions from the body and instead replaces them with positive and hopeful ones.
It will be more helpful if you express your gratitude to people in person, as it will not only make you feel lighter but can also make up the other persons’ day.
8. Take it Easy
This stress management tip is easier said than done but if you adopt it in your daily life it will surely reduce your stress levels.
The healthcare workers have to see horrific scenes at their facility and many times even if they give their 100 percent, it is not enough to save the person.
The healthcare workers have to understand that it is not their fault because they tried. Efforts are what matters the most and healthcare workers in recent times have shown that they have put in more than enough effort.
Take it easy and with time hopefully the situation will be back to normal.
In the End
If the mental stress on the healthcare workers becomes unbearable, try taking a break for some time. Rejuvenate yourself, talk to your family about your problems, and if you feel talking to a therapist will also prove to be helpful.
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Author Bio:
Sunny Chawla is a Managing Director at Alliance International. He specializes in helping clients with international recruiting, staffing, HR services, and Careers advice service for overseas and international businesses.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alliancerecruitmentagency/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/career_alliance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alliance-international-consulting-firm/
Binary Blogger has spent 20 years in the Information Security space currently providing security solutions and evangelism to clients. From early web application programming, system administration, senior management to enterprise consulting I provide practical security analysis and solutions to help companies and individuals figure out HOW to be secure every day.
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