How Prioritizing Your Wellness Benefits Those Around You.

The risks of neglecting your well-being.

When you put everyone else's needs above your own, you put yourself at risk for physical and mental health issues that will ultimately get in the way of your ability to be there for others. If you don't prioritize wellness for yourself first, you're more likely to experience burnout, stress, fatigue, and overwhelm which affects your relationships both at home and at work.

Research shows that a chronically stressed brain lowers our cognitive abilities and empathy—two important dimensions of delivering compassionate, quality health care. Stress also leads to toxic emotions, like envy and resentment, which affect our ability to build positive relationships necessary for working in a team environment. As a result, stress in the workplace can lead to more conflict and turnover.  

When caregivers are at their best, they have a greater capacity to give their time and energy to others.

When caregivers feel cared for, they feel better and have more bandwidth to care for others. Healthy employees capitalize on opportunities to learn and grow, which opens doors for new roles and responsibilities. Rather than just trying to "make it through," employees who are physically and mentally healthy thrive in the workplace, and everyone around them benefits. Co-workers can more effectively work together with less conflict and a better sense of fulfillment. More importantly, they’re able to be more attentive and careful both individually and collectively as a team, which leads to better, safer patient care.

The impact of gratitude on our ability to care for one another.

Expressing gratitude can make us happier and healthier, and when we’re more positive people, it benefits those around us, too. When we show gratitude to each other, it strengthens our ties to one another. Studies show that when we have better social support systems, we can more effectively combat stress and depression. With less work-related stress and more optimism, we’re more likely to find value in our work. This sense of purpose is a powerful antidote to caregiver burnout and turnover. 

Expressions of gratitude don’t have to be complicated or costly. Whether you jot your blessings in a journal or you deliver an unexpected “thank you” to a doctor or nurse in person, the practice of gratitude can improve your overall well-being. A philanthropic investment in honor of a caregiver or care experience can also go a long way in demonstrating gratitude for a healthcare worker.

Prioritizing caregiver wellness at the organizational level.

Unfortunately, all the self-care in the world can’t completely eliminate burnout and stress in the healthcare setting. Unprecedented challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, make it harder for healthcare workers to attend to their own needs. That’s why it’s important that healthcare organizations make it a priority to support their employees. 

At MedStar Health, we're working hard to create a culture that acknowledges when people need help and responds by extending services to improve their wellbeing. We offer a variety of wellness programs and resources designed to help meet the professional and personal needs of our employees. From wellness educational materials and free mental health resources to subsidized child care and in-person wellness rounds, we’re dedicated to giving our providers and associates the tools they need to thrive. 

Prioritizing your health and wellness means that you feel supported by those around you. When we care for each other and have organizational resources to help us achieve wellness, we’re more likely to find our work meaningful and therefore have enough in our tank to give to others.