Psychological: Making Up Your Mind
We’ve been discussing the importance of self-care for caregivers. In a previous article, we posted a brief self-assessment inventory. It divides self-care practices into four main categories. One of the four areas considered is psychological: that which takes place in the mind.
One method of psychological self-care is “mindfulness.” Berkeley describes “Mindfulness” as “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.”
It’s critical to pay attention to our thoughts. If we don’t, they have a way of controlling our emotions and influencing our choices without our awareness. Past survival mechanisms get triggered and set into motion. Our reactions to stress end up causing us even more stress.
But examining our thoughts and our breathing can engage the parasympathetic nervous system. This lowers heart rate and muscle tension. This helps us pause and then act (if needed) instead of simply reacting.
Curious about how to get started? Check out this 10-minute video by Dr. Mark Bertin called “Three Daily Mindfulness Practices for Healthcare Workers.”