myth

I think it is fair to state that many of us have caught ourselves saying, "I don't have enough time," to do the things that are necessary for our personal self-care. 

As therapists and helping professionals, it is easy to get caught up in caring for others, prioritizing others, and putting ourselves on the back burners. We can easily misapply ethical mandates to place client's needs above our own. And yet, there are times where placing our needs first is actually in the best interest of our clients. 

If we are out sick - our clients will miss sessions. If we are exhausted - our ability to focus and deeply listen to our clients is jeopardized. Research on lack of sleep and fatigue on drivers suggest that the brain is functioning similarly to someone whose blood alcohol content is bordering on the legal limit. Our response times are impaired because our nervous system is tired. If we are feeling burned out - we are at a greater likelihood to cut corners, compromise our ethics, or worse, stop caring about our work. 

It is easy for us to feel as though there is not enough time to invest in our self-care. I am guilty of this, myself. Prioritizing working out, meditation, eating healthy, drinking enough water, and engaging in my own creative process is something that takes intentionality and commitment. Even taking a vacation requires energy to invest in additional planning.

One of the challenges I have had is getting stuck in all or nothing thinking about the activity. For example, if I only have 15 minutes, I can't work out. That is simply untrue. I have a wonderful app on my phone call FitOn that has lots of 10-15 minute workouts.

The same goes for creative time. While my inner artist wants to spend hours creating and getting into the flow. Somedays, I may only have 20 minutes. Giving myself permission to create for that short time, makes a powerful impact in my ability to cope with the day to day stressors. 

Vacation time is essential for all of us. We need a break. That is where our creative juices get the opportunity to really flow. I have heard from many practice owners that they struggle to take and enjoy vacations. And yet it is something that is vital to our wellbeing. 

When I catch myself stating that I don't have enough time, I look for the evidence to support that I do have the time. I evaluate where I am spending my time in low value actions (social media, television, etc...) and figure out a plan to divest from those activities in order to invest in the activities that have a higher return on my wellbeing. 

How could you amplify your self-care practice if you work up 15 minutes earlier? How much time would you gain in your week if you set a lock on social media after 30 minutes of use per day? If you limited your television intake to an hour per week? If you stopped checking email after 5pm? 

We live in a time where being busy is socially and economically rewarded, at the expense of our health from prolonged oxidative stress. You owe it to yourself, your family and your clients to make the time to take care of you. 

If you struggle with this, you are not alone. I am a work in progress. I do really well, and then I have setbacks and have to start over again. What matters is a continued commitment to self-evaluation and action.