https://www.infirmiere-canadienne.com/blogs/ic-contenu/2024/11/12/reduire-le-stress-grace-pleine-conscience
Self-care strategies that are fast and easy that you can do anywhere
By Danielle Hoult
November 12, 2024
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Using practices such as mindfulness, mantras and breath work to pause during your shift allows you to claim a moment to care for yourself when you’re so busy caring for everyone else.
Takeaway messages:
- Use one minute of time to pause and practise self-care while at work.
- Mantras, mindfulness and breathing exercises are simple tools you can use on your shift.
- The exercises can be helpful to reduce stress and increase focus.
Nursing is a stressful job. From the mental, physical and emotional stimuli, there is so much to process in a single shift. It can often feel as if there’s never enough time to get it all done, never mind time to pause. However, taking a minute to stop and practise mindfulness, repeat a mantra, or do a breathing exercise can be time well spent.
These practices can decrease blood pressure and heart rate, leading to decreased feelings of stress and better focus. The best part? These strategies are free, fast and available to access whenever you may need them.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves shifting your awareness to the present. As simple as it sounds, you are going to gently guide your thoughts back to the present moment and only that.
Choose a time where you can find a quiet space to take a moment to stop. This could be in the medication room, the break room, the bathroom, or wherever you can find a moment to yourself. Take a steady breath. Note where you are and what day and time it is. Scan how your body feels where you are standing or sitting. If your mind wanders back to your to-do list, gently guide it back to just your breath for another slow inhalation and exhalation.
This doesn’t have to take longer than a minute. As you begin to complete your next task, focus on exactly what you are doing. For example, note how things feel in your hand and be present in the process of what you are doing. American Nurse outlines a “mindfulness checklist” for medication safety that offers a framework to follow prior to preparing medications. This may feel silly at first, but if we think about the time we can waste feeling scattered, missing things and making errors, then taking a moment to be present can be worthwhile.
Mantras
Mantras are words or phrases that hold some serious power. A mantra is a word or phrase that has meaning to you that is silently repeated throughout the day.
Take a moment to think about some challenges you face at work. Now take a moment to consider what mantra you might be able to repeat in your mind throughout your day to empower your work. An example could be as simple as “I can do this” or “I can make a difference” or something as specific to your role as you need.
When your mind is heading down the road of “I’ll never get all of this done” or “This is not going to go well,” a mantra can be a helpful tool to shift your thoughts and focus.
Breath work
Breath work is an amazing tool because it is always available to us, with no props or preparation required. It’s a low-risk investment with the potential for some pretty great return.
When you begin to feel your body becoming tense, anxious or stressed while on shift, take a moment to focus on your breathing. Breath work can be used to prepare your mind and body prior to taking on a stressful task, such as a challenging IV start, preparing a medication you’re unfamiliar with, or having a difficult conversation with a patient.
There are many different breathing techniques, so don’t be afraid to try a few until you find one that works for you. Simply focusing on noticing your breath and lengthening your exhalations for one minute can be a great start.
Box breathing is a great exercise where you envision the four sides of a box. As you inhale, breath in for a count of four, hold that inhalation for a count of four, exhale for a count of four and hold the exhalation for a count of four. The count doesn’t have to be four if that’s not working for you. It can be a number that is comfortable for you.
Whatever you decide, make sure it feels good for your body as you are not aiming to create more stress. Of course, if you feel dizzy or unwell, stop and listen to your body. Practising breathing exercises ahead of time at home, when you have time and fewer distractions, may make it easier to become comfortable with the techniques.
Conclusion
As you incorporate a pause into your nursing practice, note what feels good and leave behind what doesn’t. Like any skill, these will become easier and more effective the more you use them. Using practices such as mindfulness, mantras and breath work to pause during your shift allows you to claim a moment to care for yourself when you’re so busy caring for everyone else.
Here are some resources to get you started
Danielle Hoult, RN, is a certified yoga teacher and works as an occupational health nurse in Alberta.
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