Wellbeing tips for care professionals
At ComfortPlus we know that healthy, happy, well-paid care professionals deliver a better standard of care. But sadly the wellbeing of care professionals is rarely prioritised – and as waiting lists lengthen and companies get busier with the volume of clients requiring care, burnout is becoming increasingly common.
Recent industry research has identified carer burnout as one of the key contributors to the care staffing crisis – so it’s not just important to tackle this on an individual level but also in a collective sense to ensure better care and ease the recruitment challenges facing care providers and social services.
Care is an interesting and unusual vocation because it’s never purely professional. There’s always a personal element to it – a human connection made, genuine concern and a relationship built. When you care for someone, you give them a lot of your energy and time.
That’s why taking care of yourself is so important when you work in care. This can be easier said than done, of course – increasingly busy lifestyles in and out of work can quickly overwhelm and make it harder to take the time you need to focus on your own wellbeing.
These simple strategies are accessible and easy to incorporate into your daily routine with some thought and forward planning.
1/ Talk about it
Care professionals often work with vulnerable and unwell individuals and tend to be exposed to emotionally distressing events and bereavements on a regular basis. The stress and upset which can arise when caring for people in need shouldn’t be underestimated – especially in the case of care professionals who work with clients for extended periods of time and become close with them. For this reason it’s advisable to share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust, ideally a professional, who can help you to work through them in a healthy way. Many care professionals bottle up their emotions and feel pressure to cope alone because it’s ‘all part of the job’ – but emotional support is incredibly important because over time this can have a significant impact on your mental health. If you can’t afford to pay privately for counselling there are some charities and non-profit organisations such as Beacon Counselling who can help.
2/ Eat well
Many care professionals are so busy looking after others than they often forget to take care of themselves (or feel they don’t have the time or energy left at the end of the day). The old saying ‘fill your own cup before filling others’ applies here. This is easier said than done, but one simple thing you can focus on is eating balanced, healthy meals and snacks at regular intervals.
Make sure you include a combination of protein and slow-release carbohydrates with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and keep a large bottle of water with you throughout your day to ensure you stay hydrated. This will help you to feel physically and mentally fitter and give you more energy throughout your shifts.
Busy schedules can easily get in the way of eating well, so where possible take some time to plan and batch-cook meals so that you have healthy food prepared in advance to grab on the go.
3/ Prioritise sleep
Sleep is one of the cornerstones of good health – but so often, it’s overlooked. Many adults in the UK report poor sleep quality and trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. But for care professionals these sleep issues can be amplified, due to daily stress, irregular schedules and shift work.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to tackling sleep issues – as everyone’s schedule and struggles are different. Some sleep hygiene tips to bear in mind include:
- Avoiding screens at least one hour before you sleep (read a book or chat with loved ones if you need to wind down after work, or try blue light glasses
- Going to sleep and waking up at the same times each day, wherever possible
- Using blackout blinds and ensuring you have a comfy mattress and sheets
- Having a bath or hot drink before bed
4/ Create healthy routines
Healthy habits and routines are key in order to maintain optimal wellbeing. Establishing flexible yet consistent routines becomes even more important when you are working shifts, and can’t keep to a regular schedule every day. Try to create simple mini rituals for different times of the day which you can stick to even if you’re working irregular hours. This could be a ‘morning routine’ which includes some quiet time, a cup of tea and mindfully making breakfast when you wake up, an ‘evening routine’ incorporating some of the elements listed above for a better sleep or a post-work commitment to spend time with the kids for an hour and switch off after work.
At ComfortPlus we care about care professionals. Learn more about working with us and our recruitment and training support here.
