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Receive the Gift of Wholistic Well-Being
You know the feeling. Your feet ache, your mind is a whirlwind of tasks that never seem to be complete, and your heart is heavy as you hold the suffering of your patients and their loved ones. You've given everything during your shift—every ounce of energy, every bit of spiritual and emotional reserve—and now, you're running on fumes. Exhaustion isn't just a word; it's a physical weight pressing down on you, a fog that clouds your thoughts and sometimes even dims your spirit.
This feeling of being fully poured out is both the gift and the challenge of nursing. We get a front seat to life's greatest miracles and most profound sorrows. In recent years, healthcare systems have begun recognizing that nurses need time to rest, reflect, and refuel their bodies, minds, and spirits. As a result, forward-thinking systems began to offer wellness activities.
Thus, nurse leaders began to ask questions about what it means to promote wellness and how its pursuit is intertwined with one's sense of well-being.
Though a true consensus on the meaning of these terms has yet to be determined, wellness is often defined as practicing healthy habits daily to achieve better physical and mental health outcomes. It includes making lifestyle choices such as eating nutritious foods, getting adequate sleep, and engaging in regular self-care practices.
Promoting wellness is terrific, but we invite healthcare leaders to offer their nurses something more comprehensive, such as well-being initiatives, that provide nurses the tools and support needed to rest, reflect, and refuel.
Well-being, though defined in many ways, goes beyond physical health to include mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions. Well-being encompasses your overall satisfaction with life, your sense of purpose, and your feelings of fulfillment across various domains.
Aspects of Well-Being
To fully grasp the concept of wholistic well-being, let's break it down into its core components:
Physical Well-Being: This includes your overall physical health, encompassing everything from nutrition and exercise to housing, safety, and human rights. It's not just about being free from illness but about feeling strong, energetic, and physically capable.
Mental Well-Being: Your thoughts and feelings are critical to your overall health. Mental well-being involves managing stress, fostering positive emotions, and maintaining a healthy mindset.
Social Well-Being: Healthy relationships, a sense of belonging, and valuing diversity are key to social well-being. You might find fulfillment in connecting with others, whether through personal relationships or professional networks.
Workplace Well-Being: This aspect involves finding meaning and happiness in your work. Aligning your professional values with your day-to-day tasks can significantly impact your well-being.
Societal Well-Being: Participating in a thriving community and contributing to a healthy culture and environment are vital components of societal well-being. This extends to how you engage with your community and the broader society.
It's about thriving in all aspects of life, not just surviving. When we thrive, our patients thrive, too, because we increase our capacity to provide patients with higher-quality care. Dr. Jean Watson has long emphasized that "caring science is sacred science," underscoring the idea that one's well-being is intrinsically linked to the quality of care one provides. According to Watson, when one can care for oneself wholistically, one is better equipped to offer compassionate and effective care to one's patients. Caring for self is the essence of caring for others. Without self-care, there can be no genuine caring-healing relationship with others.
Practical Well-Being Practices for You
Do you want to experience thriving in your workplace? We invite you to consider incorporating these easy-to-access practices to help you shift from a focus on wellness to embracing wholistic well-being, particularly in your workplace:
Practice Mindful Presence: Watson advocates for the practice of "being fully present," which involves engaging mindfully with each task and interaction. This presence not only enhances the quality of care but also contributes to your sense of fulfillment and mental well-being.
Cultivate Loving Kindness Toward Yourself: Watson's theory of transpersonal caring encourages you to practice self-compassion and loving-kindness. She states, "The practice of loving-kindness toward self and others is a foundation for healing relationships." Daily affirmations or meditative practices foster this attitude, promoting emotional resilience.
Foster Caring Relationships at Work: Building and maintaining supportive relationships with colleagues is crucial. Watson believes that "caring relationships" are the essence of nursing, and fostering these at work can significantly improve your social well-being and reduce feelings of isolation.
Engage in Reflective Practice: Watson emphasizes the importance of reflective practice, which is when you take time to reflect on your experiences and emotions. This practice can help you process the emotional weight of your work, thereby enhancing your mental well-being.
Commit to Professional Growth: Dr. Watson's work also highlights the importance of continual learning and personal growth. Engaging in professional development enhances your career satisfaction and contributes to your overall sense of purpose and well-being.
Conclusion
Now, armed with this knowledge, we encourage you to take the first step toward embracing wholistic well-being. Start by incorporating one or two of these practices into your daily routine. Remember, your well-being is not just a personal matter; it directly impacts the care you provide. By broadening your focus from wellness to well-being and incorporating practices that nurture your mind, body, and spirit, you can achieve a more balanced, fulfilling life that enriches every aspect of your personal and professional journey.
Embrace the journey toward wholistic well-being—it's a path that takes us beyond survival to thriving and being the nurse we always dreamed of being.
References:
American Nurses Association - Health, Safety, and Wellness
National Academy of Medicine - Clinician Well-Being (2023)
Watson, J. (2008). Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring (Revised Edition). University Press of Colorado.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Workplace Health Promotion (2023)
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