Self-Care For DSPs (and everyone else!)

By the Integrity Living Options Hiring and Training Division (originally authored for Mental Health Awareness Month)

Self-care is not indulgent. It is a real practice that focuses our minds and bodies on relieving stress that we encounter before we are overwhelmed by it. Your health -- both mentally and physically -- can affect how well you do your job or how well you manage the stress of your job.  

There is no “one-size-fits-all” self-care plan, but there is a common thread: making a commitment to attend to all the domains of your life, including your physical and psychological health, emotional and spiritual needs, and relationships. We spend time in our professional lives assisting clients with goals of eating better, getting more sleep, drinking more water, appropriately navigating stressful situations - but do we take our own advice?

Basic tips for good health

These likely won’t be surprising, but let’s review and consider how much these strategies could improve your health and well-being.

Nutrition

Consider all five basic food groups when preparing meals. Preparing meals in advance is conducive to more sound choices for busy professionals who have higher travel demands. Be conscientious of portion sizes.

Hydration

Staying hydrated can greatly assist the way you feel and the caliber in which you function. A good routine to follow would be: drink a glass when you wake up, a glass with each meal, a glass in between meals, and before, during, and after exercising.

Rest

Getting adequate and meaningful sleep is imperative to solid functioning. Studies show that sleep deficiency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.

Support to expect

As staff, you are working with a variety of different clients and challenges. It is imperative that all employees receive a variety of support. So what support should you expect?

• Thorough understanding of your job responsibilities
• Variety of ongoing training to assist in the success of your employment
• Necessary resources and tool to meet the demands of your job
• Regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss concerns, get feedback or problem solve difficulty you are experiencing
• A team of colleagues to debrief and collaborate with

Intense and challenging situations you may encounter working in this field can leave you with a variety of unresolved feelings at times during your career. Taking the time you need to process events with your supervisor is an important part of your self-care plan.

Refresh and renew

Lastly, there are thousands of ways to practice self-care and the Internet is filled with free resources to provide examples of ways that others apply self-care to their life.  We have provided some ideas below to start off your own brainstorming!

• Create something
• Make a budget and keep track of your money
• Splurge, a little, as a reward or a relief
• Try something new in your living space. Rearrange your furniture in a way that makes it more comfortable
• Journal
• Develop an energizing morning routine or a relaxing evening routing
• Try a new experience
• Connect with friends and family
• Read
• Garden
• Find a new hobby, or revisit an old one
• Intentionally schedule “me time” on your planner
• Use online tutorials to learn something new
• Discover your stress indicators and create plans to address them as they arise
• Listen to a podcast
• Declutter your wardrobe
• Tidy up
• Unplug from social media for a pre-determined length of time
• Learn to say no without feeling guilty
• Check your to-do list for something that you can accomplish
• Assemble a puzzle
• Make a playlist
• Cook or bake
• Practice meditation
• Exercise – even if just means walking around the block
• Spend time in nature
• Have a good laugh
• Volunteer your time for a cause that is meaningful to you
• Take a hot shower or bath

Integrity Living Options is a Twin Cities-based agency that provides a number of services and supports to individuals with a wide range of disabilities throughout Minnesota.