Taking Care of Our Own:
Generating Positive Emotions
Bolster Your Inner Capacity During Challenging Times
“As health care professionals, we are informed by our science and guided by our hearts.”
Kathleen Robertson,UMHS Employee Assistance Program
Taking time for self-care decreases the risk of burnout.An interesting thing about working in health care is that what makes us elegant and extraordinary is also the thing that can burn us out. The price of opening ourselves to another’s humanity is that we share their pain and suffering which can, over time, compromise our own health and well-being. There is no doubt that employees of our Health System automatically rise to the challenges.
This holiday season we’re facing bigger challenges than ever and employees are asking themselves: How can I continue to care for patients, deal with economic challenges, face the unknown impact of the H1N1 flu virus at work and home, and care for myself and family? When we fail to practice self-care we place ourselves at risk for burnout. When this occurs, we may experience a loss of energy, a loss of joy, a reluctance to engage with others, and a sense of futility.
MCIT staff take time to bond and play volleyball at the department’s Texas Barbeque Picnic.Working as a counselor at the Employee Assistance Program, I’ve seen many people find ways to tap into the inner strength found in each of us to build positive emotions, which help manage stressors. Barbara Fredrickson, author of “Positivity,” has studied positive emotions extensively. Fredrickson found those who flourish both in good and challenging times have a 3:1 positive to negative ratio. She identifies the following emotions as the fuel that promotes positivity: joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love. When we experience positive emotions, we become more tolerant, expansive, and creative. The more positive emotions we encounter the more open we become to new ideas and new experiences.
Interested in increasing your positivity?
Consider these tips:
UM-CareLink Liaison Jarrod Sandel (left) and Desktop Support Specialist Tom Biancalana share a laugh and a game of Rock Band.
- Find positive meaning in all you encounter
- Savor goodness – learn how to cherish
- Count your blessings – express gratitude
- Follow your passions – do what you love
- Dream about the future
- Connect with others
- Enjoy nature – 20 minutes outside can do wonders
- Open your mind – be willing to see another’s point of view
- Open your heart
- Embody respectful engagement – be present, attentive and affirming with others
- Foster trust – act as if you can count on the other person
- Take time to play – feel like a kid again
- Learn and apply your strengths
At the Employee Assistance Program we ask our clients to pay attention to how their activities, circumstances and current lines of thought make them feel. We then ask them to recreate those activities, circumstances and thoughts that enliven and uplift them. Our wish this season is for all of us to generate positive emotions for ourselves and others.
The EAP is a confidential, no-cost service for Health System faculty, staff and their families.
Positive emotions are:
- the laugh we share with our co-workers when we sit together and share stories
- the ease we feel when we find a spot to sit and relax
- the awe and inspiration of watching our human excellence in action