Taking Care of Yourself While Caring for Others
How carers and health care professionals can look after their physical and mental wellbeing
We've talked a lot in the past about how Tunstall supports the physical safety of carers and lone workers through our Connected Care solutions, but of equal importance is taking care of the mental health and wellbeing of carers and other health professionals. In this article we explore common causes of occupational stress and anxiety, as well as techniques you can use to look after yourself, stay on top of your mental health and continue providing effective care for others.
The importance of physical and mental health for carers
As a carer, you’ll often put the needs of the person you care for before your own. But it's important to look after yourself too. When physically and mentally healthy you'll be able to provide better care – and for longer.
It's vital to look after yourself every day, even in some small way. Carers can work long or intense hours and have immense wells of courage, strength and energy to tap into when required. Still, it's important to recuperate by eating and sleeping well, and doing things outside of care that you enjoy. Take time to unwind mentally so you can continue delivering quality care for those you look after.
The first important step in caring for yourself is not to feel guilty about it. It's common for carers to feel stressed or anxious because they are taking time for themselves, but studies have shown that taking time for yourself can not only improve quality of care but even make those you care for happier knowing you are looking after yourself adequately as well.
"As a carer, you’ll often put the needs of the person you care for before your own. But it's important to look after yourself too."
Causes and symptoms of stress and anxiety
The first step in treating your stress or anxiety is identifying it and understanding where it comes from.
Most carers are naturally empathetic people; it is their ability to relate to and share the feelings of those they care for that allow them to be good at their jobs. This also means that carers can be subject to sharing the negative emotions, stresses, anxieties, and fears of those they care for as well, however. Recognising that others can influence your emotions is important; otherwise you might be feeling worried, annoyed, downcast or even depressed without knowing why.
Professional anxiety is a side effect of many careers but tends to be higher in those who are continually exposed to stressful situations or triggered by traumatic events. For example, frontline care staff frequently work with older or at-risk clients, meaning loss of life is a very real possibility that can have significant emotional ramifications.
On average, one in three people may experience anxiety during their lives – symptoms include racing thoughts, uncontrollable overthinking, difficulties with concentration or sleep, heightened alertness, changes in diet, and sudden feelings of panic or dread.
Stress, on the other hand, can be displayed through low energy, headaches, tense or sore muscles, insomnia, nausea, diarrhoea, and a low immune system resulting in frequent colds and infections.
Common causes of workplace stress include:
Job or task demands (work overload, lack of task control, role ambiguity)
Organisational factors (poor interpersonal relations, unfair management practices)
Financial and economic factors
Conflict between work and family roles and responsibilities
Training and career development issues (lack of opportunity for growth or promotion)
Poor organisational climate (lack of management commitment to core values, conflicting communication styles, etc.)
Stressors common in the healthcare industry also include:
Inadequate staffing levels
Long work hours
Shift work
Role ambiguity
Exposure to infectious and hazardous substances
If you experience any stress or anxiety symptoms, examine the list of possible causes above and try to identify the cause. Once you pinpoint the root cause of your problem, you can pursue the best solution.
Remedies for workplace-related stress or anxiety
Most organisations have policies and processes in place to help manage the wellbeing of their staff. If you have identified that your problem stems from your workplace, you should speak to your supervisor or dedicated support person. If your organisation does not have a support structure in place, or you are not comfortable sharing your concerns with them, you can use anonymous, free support services like Beyond Blue who provide 24/7 phone support. More than 254,000 Australians utilised their services in 2020, so you should know that you are not alone in feeling the way you do.
If you're an employer wanting to improve your staff's wellbeing, please scroll down to How organisations can help improve their workers' mental health for some steps you can implement.
Lifestyle changes you can make to reduce stress and anxiety
Be kind to yourself
Remember earlier we talked about guilt, and the need to 'allow' yourself to look after yourself? This applies to the way you perceive yourself, talk to yourself, and treat yourself. Almost everyone has room for improvement when it comes to:
speaking to yourself in a kind, non-judgemental way (yes, even in your mind!)
forgiving yourself when things don’t go the way you want
taking care of your body with proper nutrition
limiting alcohol and other drugs
giving yourself the time to do things you love
meditating or getting in touch with nature
connecting with friends, family and your community
Loving and supporting ourselves makes it a lot easier to love and support others.
Use relaxation and mindfulness
Relaxation and mindfulness techniques have been around for centuries and are proven ways of preventing and managing stress.
Breathing techniques and meditation are the cornerstones of stress management – if you don't know where to get started, there are some great free apps you can use to guide you:
If you're more interested in mindfulness, which is a type of meditation that helps you focus on what you're feeling "without feeling it" (while meditating is more about clearing your mind), here's a guide on getting started with mindfulness.
Recharge with regular exercise
In the modern world, life is busier than ever before, and you may feel like you don't have the energy to exercise. Well, good news - exercising has been proven to boost your energy levels, as well as your mood!
Everyone has different exercise preferences and different amounts of time available, but whether it's going to the gym and lifting weights, getting on a treadmill or running in the park, or simply doing some stretching or yoga at home – it all helps. Even just 15 minutes of exercise a day will help you feel healthier and like you've achieved something, no matter what kind of day you've had.
Stimulating extra blood flow and increasing your endorphin levels are proven, effective ways to stay healthier and feel better. Exercising regularly also helps you to…
Adopt a better sleep pattern
10.3 million Australians don't sleep enough, according to a Federal Inquiry by the Australian Government in 2019. That's almost half of the country's population who may be prone to memory issues, trouble with concentration, mood changes, poor balance, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and heightened risk for diseases including diabetes.
You've no doubt heard it before, but you should be sleeping for an uninterrupted 7 to 9 hours per day for optimal recovery and health.
If you are experiencing sleep deprivation, you can speak to your GP about creating a healthier sleep habit. Health Direct also has a great free guide about sleep, including 10 tips to get a better sleep every night.
Take care of your body by eating well
Eating well doesn't just mean eating healthy – it also means eating enough. Many of us in the healthcare industry work long hours, sometimes without breaks, and it can be tough to stay on top of your nutrition. Being organised with a plan in mind when you go grocery shopping, and packing lunches for the week, is the most reliable way to make sure you eat properly. You can use free apps like MyFitnessPal to keep you disciplined and stay on top of your diet. Make it your mission to look after your body, and it will look after you.
Extra help: Here's a guide to nutrition specifically for shift workers, provided by WorkSafe Australia.
A note regarding end of care
End of care – resulting in the recovery or death of the person being cared for, or their care transitioning to someone else – can have an unexpectedly large emotional impact on carers, potentially resulting in grief, or even trauma. Although most institutions and organisations prepare carers for this event through education and training, the reality of life after caring can still have a pronounced effect. If you experience any mental or emotional distress – regardless of its severity – due to end of care, you can consider:
Getting personal or grief counselling
Talking with other carers who may have experienced the end of care
Joining community support groups
Speaking to your GP
When to get professional help
If you've tried the above steps and still can't make progress to what you feel is your desired level of wellbeing, don't hesitate to speak to your GP about your concerns. Your doctor is the most qualified person to help you create – and stick to – a mental health plan so you can get back to being yourself and caring for those around you.
How organisations can help improve their workers' mental health
Eliminating stressors through organisational change intervention is the most effective way of reducing occupational stress. Leaders and management of healthcare organisations can help improve the wellbeing of their staff by redesigning jobs, or making other organisational changes such as:
Ensuring that the workload is in line with workers’ capabilities and resources
Clearly defining workers’ roles and responsibilities
Giving workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs
Improving communication
Reducing uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects
Providing opportunities for social interaction among workers
Ensuring that funding and appropriate support are accessible for workers experiencing stress or anxiety
A positive internal workplace culture is vital to staff wellbeing. Simple steps to pursue a positive workplace culture can include celebrating wins to enhance and develop resilience in staff, and promoting good peer relationships.
In a study by the University of South Australia, Dr Jonathon Louth examined the correlation between compassion fatigue and work satisfaction, which emphasises the importance of establishing appropriate interventions and support structures within organisations to encourage healthier, more efficient workplaces. Ultimately, healthcare organisations and their leaders have a responsibility not just to their clients and stakeholders, but also to their staff, in fostering safe, healthy environments promoting wellbeing – for the benefit of all.
How a personal alarm can provide peace of mind
The nature of healthcare presents care workers with varied, diverse work environments which each come with their own set of challenges and potential hazards. Risks can range from mentally impaired clients displaying aggressive behaviour, to slips, trips and falls, or other physical injuries while completing manual tasks.
Even the possibility of an incident, injury or accident can be enough to cause subconscious stress for health care workers. One major benefit of Tunstall's lone worker alarms is providing peace of mind for carers, knowing they can request assistance with the push of a button and be instantly connected to our Customer Care Team, wherever they are, at any time of time of day.
Read more: Lone Worker Safety Solutions & Lone Worker App
Take care of yourself so you can keep caring for others
As a carer, looking after your own health and wellbeing is just as important as those you care for. With proper sleep, nutrition, exercise, social connections, job satisfaction, and peace of mind, you will have the energy and focus to continue delivering positive health outcomes for yourself and others.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Keep doing the activities you enjoy outside of your caring role. Take breaks from caring to avoid becoming worn out. Make time to do something for yourself every day, even if it's as simple as going for a walk, meditating or listening to music.
Tunstall continues to provide industry-leading support through our personal alarms, Connected Care, Connected Health, and NDIS services to help clients and health professionals achieve quality care and better, more independent lives. Contact us for more information about how we are transforming the healthcare industry through our innovation, modernisation and dedication to quality outcomes for all.