7 Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health as a Busy Healthcare Professional

If you’re a busy healthcare professional, you’re probably not prioritizing your mental health as you should.

The American Hospital Association reported that a whopping 93% of healthcare workers experience stress, while 86% reported anxiety. Yikes! They also reported that most healthcare workers are frustrated, exhausted, overwhelmed, and burnt out.

You’re probably nodding in agreement because you can relate to that. It’s no wonder why healthcare workers are experiencing these mental health challenges.

Between crazy shifts, long hours, and unhealthy work environments combined with life’s everyday stress and tribulations, it’s easy to see why you may be hanging on by a thread.

The great news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are the reasons why taking care of your mental health is important and seven ways you can do it.

Why is it important to take care of your mental health as a busy healthcare provider?

While you may interpret your stress, burnout, and other mental health struggles as just par for the course, it’s actually really important for you to take care of your mental health.

Besides an increase in medical error and suboptimal patient care, neglecting your mental health can cause:

Car accidents

Missing work

Dissatisfaction

Decreased quality of life

Digestive issues

Substance abuse

Decreased energy and motivation

The truth is, there are only cons associated with neglecting your mental health.

Neglecting your mental not only negatively affects you but your loved ones and your patients.

Remember, self-care is not selfish. As a busy healthcare provider, it’s time to take better control of your mental health. Here’s how.

How to take care of your mental health as a busy healthcare professional

As a busy healthcare professional, you can use many tips and techniques to manage your mental health. Therefore, the list I’m providing is not exhaustive.

In addition, there are quick and simple ways to improve your mental health daily and others that require more of a time commitment. Using a combination of these techniques can ensure you stay on track with tending to your mental health.

Here are a few of my favorite strategies.

Journaling 📝

Journaling is not just for angsty teens. It’s a proven strategy for improving mental health.

I had Lauren, a character in my debut novel Finding All of You: A Physician's Guide to Self-Discovery, use it to handle the pressures of her job as a healthcare provider.

The University of Rochester Medical Center also recommends journaling as part of a healthy lifestyle.

They stated that journaling can reduce stress, manage anxiety, and cope with depression.

Wondering how to get started with journaling?

Well, there aren’t really any rules associated with journaling.

You can do it any way that feels good to you.

That means you can journal using an app, add illustrations, get a fancy journal, use a composition notebook, or even buy a guided journal.

If you’re looking for journaling ideas, try using your journal to:

• Reflect and track your feelings

• Share your thoughts about your day

• Write your problems, goals, or any concerns you have

• Work through issues you’re having with others

• Express gratitude

The possibilities are truly endless.

Remember, you set the rules for journaling, and the best part is that nobody has to read it.

Less social media and More Activity 🏊🏼‍♂️

Yes, it’s time to put away your phone.

While it’s completely understandable that you can use social media to keep in contact with friends and family, using social media constantly can harm your mental health.

HelpGuide.org states, “...multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.”

Maybe you don’t feel like you’re spending that much time on social media.

I challenge you to look at your phone settings for app usage. You may be surprised at how many hours you spend on these apps in your free time.

Here are some ways to reduce your time on social media and improve your mental health:

Utilize the wellness resources on your phone to set timers on your social media apps

Delete social media apps from your phone

Silence notifications from social media apps

Do other activities in your downtime, such as exercising, hanging out with loved ones, and picking up a new hobby

Speaking of a new hobby, have you considered picking up reading?

While reading may seem like another activity to add to your busy schedule, it can absolutely help your mental health.

Research shows reading helps you to:

• Sleep better

• Reduce stress

• Improve your relationships

• Keep your mind sharp

Need a book recommendation? How about Finding All Of You: A Physician's Guide to Self-Discovery?

Practice Mindfulness

Maybe you’ve heard the term “mindfulness” thrown around before but didn’t bother to research it.

According to the American Psychological Association, “Mindfulness is awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings. Mindfulness can help people avoid destructive or automatic habits and responses by observing their thoughts, emotions, and other present-moment experiences without judging or reacting to them.”

To put it simply, mindfulness is about being present.

A 2016 study on Brazilian nurses showed that mindfulness reduces stress, depression, and burnout.

Mayo Clinic also mentions that research has linked mindfulness to improved sleep, attention, and diabetes control while showing a decrease in job burnout.

Fortunately, you can practice mindfulness anywhere.

Mayo Clinic says a simple mindfulness exercise is focusing on your breathing.

“When you have negative thoughts, try to sit down, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Sitting and breathing for even just a minute can help.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, another simple trick is to take a moment to experience your environment with all of your senses. That means paying attention to what you’re seeing, touching, hearing, tasting, and smelling. This forces you to be present and can reduce your stress and anxiety.

Assemble a Support System

While many of the tips I’m sharing include individual action, mental health care can also be seen as a group project.

That means leaning on your loved ones to help you. All superheroes have a team right? Call the Avengers!!!

Yes, it’s time to assemble a support system, which can be a mix of your biological or chosen family.

Your support system's role is to provide emotional and practical support.

The National Institute of Mental Health recommends staying connected and actually reaching out to your support system for the emotional and practical support and help that you need.

The University of Buffalo states that having a support system can:

• Bolster you emotionally when you’re overwhelmed

• Make you more resilient in times of stress

• Enhance your feeling of security

They also stated that people with support systems tend to have better health, live longer lives, and report better well-being.

If you already have a support system, great; it’s time to nurture those connections. You can set reminders to reach out to people through a quick call or text. In addition, you can invite them out to lunch or whatever activity you both enjoy.

If you don’t have a support system, the University of Buffalo recommends getting to know your coworkers and neighbors, joining professional organizations, or using online resources such as social networking sites.

The university also recommends starting a book club. Grab a bunch of people you know who love reading, pick one book, and discuss it either virtually or in person at a convenient time. I recommend Finding All of You: A Physician's Guide to Self-Discovery. It’s a great read for healthcare workers who are trying to find themselves amid their careers centered around serving others.

Start exercising consistently

Your friends who live in the gym were right; exercising consistently can really improve your mental health.

I get it. Fitting fitness into your schedule may seem daunting, and you don’t need anything else taking up precious time in your busy life.

But you and I know exercise is extremely important to maintaining physical and mental health.

As a matter of fact, a 2006 study says, “Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.”

Convinced that exercise can make you feel better? Well, here are some ways to get started:

Take the stairs instead of the elevator

Pay for a gym membership and block out time in your schedule to go

Do at-home workouts

Get a gym buddy and accountability partner to increase your chances of getting up and going to the gym.

Find an activity that you like, such as dancing, hiking, yoga and consistently do it.

Quit your job

Hear me out; I’m not saying to give up on your medical career. But I am saying that your toxic work environment is not doing your mental health any favors.

Not sure if your work environment qualifies as toxic? Barton Associates says to look out for these five signs:

Verbal abuse

Bureaucratic or unpleasant culture

Responsibility but no autonomy

Structures that encourage ethical dilemma

Supervisory issues

A toxic work environment is not a necessary evil, nor is it beneficial.

Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD was quoted by The American Psychological Association saying, “Chronic stress from workplace abuse can lead to depression, heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses.”

When you have the chance, seek out other, more positive work environments where you can carry out your job well and take care of your mental health.

Call a Therapist

Therapy is a great way to take care of your mental health, even if you think it’s already in pretty good shape.

In my book, Jonathon, a fictional healthcare worker, relies heavily on therapy to cope with the stresses of his job, and you can too.

Contrary to popular belief, therapy is for everyone and not just someone suffering from a specific mental illness.

If you’re still on the fence about therapy, maybe Mental Health America can change your mind.

Mental Health America states, “Beyond the brain changes generated by therapy, therapy also works long-term simply because of the skills it gives people. Through therapy, people learn about themselves and can continue using this insight as they face new challenges.”

Of course, since health professionals are prone to developing mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, therapy can serve as a great treatment. If you find out you need additional help, such as medication, your therapist can usually recommend you to a psychiatrist for an evaluation.

Fortunately, there are so many ways to access therapy; I recommend looking into local therapists, reading available reviews, and booking a session to check them out.

Don’t give up on therapy if you don’t vibe with the first couple of therapists you check out. Shopping around for therapists is normal until you find your perfect match.

Conclusion

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and demands the same effort to maintain it. Your job as a healthcare professional can draining and emotionally taxing; however, you still have to prioritize your mental health. Start with one habit to pick up and stay consistent. You’ll then see the difference. Remember, you can pour from an empty cup; start prioritizing your mental health today.