Certainly, in the health care world, people are running on empty. As dedicated professionals increasingly have been required and expected of them that they give and give and give because that’s what their oath, values and professionalism dictates.
But WHO is looking after them? Double shifts, extended lists, huge volume increases, a commitment that ALL must be seen and dealt with, and increased stock issues to supply these increased services.
It’s a never-ending circle of heart-wrenching, unwritten commitment to the patients that forces the drive forward, no matter the cost.
The COST is their physical and mental health. eventually impacting home life as they are too exhausted and drained to function at home. The priorities have shifted, they have had to. Family don’t come second but they are so running on empty, home is just recovery time not a place of joy and safety.
Relationships with loved ones, family and friends can break down because the will to socialise becomes less, and the desire to train and gym when emotionally exhausted has gone, it’s a survival game.
This applies in so many professions at the moment, the healthcare is just an obvious example. We are all running on empty, with costs of living exploding, also the things we used to treat ourselves to are definitely now luxuries as day-to-day living has taken over.
SO what do we do? How do we re-balance the energy and soul?
It’s even more important to go back to basics and invest in yourself at a core level. Revisit our values, revisit the food we eat and the nourishment we are giving ourselves, taking REAL time out to disconnect from the ever-increasing stimuli and turn everything off and listen to your internal self. Breathe, meditate, exercise, inspirational personal growth, and spend the time with people that nourish you and ignite you and love you. Refill that cup from the true people that matter, who see the real you.
How can you give at the highest level as the ultimate professional you are, when you have nothing within? The decisions you make are from lack, from a clouded, not clear mind, from a position of uncertainty and how are these negative mindsets going to positively make the change or decisions you need.
To help others you must help yourself. To be the best coach, I had to use all my experience and the tools I have learned to grow and change myself before I could impart those learnings to my clients. I have had to serve myself before I can serve others. Now those growing, changing, learning tools and attributes have fulfilled me and nourished me in a way I can now feed others from a full cup.
Therefore, my primal tip is to look after No1. Not from an egotistic perspective but from an overflowing cup perspective, where your surplus energy ecologically feeds, fulfils and nourishes others without depleting you.
