By Brenda Tassava Medina, CVPM, CVJ, VLCE
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every person reacts differently to stressful situations. Over the past few months we’ve all been living in perhaps the most stressful situation we’ve ever faced, for a sustained period of time. People under stress can experience anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep and eating pattern breaks, as well as exasperated chronic health conditions. Mental health experts say that during stressful periods of time, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to our mental and physical health. What have you been doing to care for yourself?
Maintain a Routine
Veterinary hospitals are famous for flexible shifts, which is code for working different shifts on varying days each week. This poses a challenge for creating and maintaining a routine in the best of situations, and may feel impossible during stressful times. The key to success is in creating a routine specific to the shift you are working. This may mean exercising in the morning if you are working a 12-8 shift. This may also mean exercising in the afternoon or early evening if you are working a 7-3 shift. Mapping out a routine for each feasible shift can really help you to establish and maintain a routine on a daily basis which then converts to successfully meeting your goals for the week, when it comes to your personal health and well-being.
Eat Healthy Meals
We are all busy, which means fast food, carry-out, Starbucks and staff room snacks might be your go-to when it comes to nutrition. This can really sabotage your efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle, which in turn gets you feeling out-of-balance. Part of your daily routine should revolve around planning the next day’s meals. Something as simple as taking 5 minutes to plan and pack a lunch to take to work can really improve your energy levels. It can also keep you from those late afternoon sugar and caffeine crashes that lead to irritability.
Great snack choices to keep in your locker or backpack at work might include:
- Freshlock bags of nuts or trail mix
- Packets of instant oatmeal
- Granola or protein bars
- Dried banana or apple chips
- Individual squeeze packets of peanut butter and packets of crackers
- A refillable water bottle
Go For a Walk
Beyond your planned exercise for the day, taking a walk outside can go a long way in establishing a healthy physical lifestyle, while getting you a little fresh air. If you are having an especially stressful day at work, get off the floor and get outside (after clocking out, of course) and walk around the block. Breathe purposefully while you walk, and you will soon feel yourself decompressing. This approach can take the edge off a bad day and equip you with the mindset you need to return to the floor with a smile on your face.
Limit Time Spent Watching or Reading News and Social Media
To power your positivity, take stock of how often and how long you spend reading or watching news programs, and tuning into social media channels. Negative information can make a significant impact on your state of mind. It can cause you to become demotivated, anxious, and overly worried. Keeping your social media usage down to 30 minutes a day can lead to better mental health outcomes, according to research published in the December 2018 Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. By being more cognizant of the amount of time you allow yourself to take in news and social media, the more likely you will have a more positive mindset, which in turn will help you reach your physical and mental health goals.
Offer to Help Someone in Need
Volunteering is an activity that has surprising mental and physical health benefits. Helping others helps counteract the effects of anger, anxiety and stress. Forming a connection with another person is a huge stress reliever.
From a physical standpoint, volunteering can help you stay physically healthy. Studies have found that those who volunteer tend to walk more, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better cognitive skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease. Add to all of this, the side benefit of putting a guaranteed smile on your face, helping someone who needs it will always come back to you as good karma.