Today is International Self Care Day! It's a day which is celebrated nationally to remind ourselves of the importance of taking care of our physical, mental, and emotional health. At The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), we recognise how important it is to look after ourselves, both at work and at home.
Why Self Care Matters
Self care means doing things that we enjoy and which help us stay happy and healthy. It's a really important practice that includes all the actions we take to maintain our health, manage stress, and prevent burnout. In todays' fast-paced society, it can be easy to neglect our own needs whilst juggling busy jobs, lives and family responsibilities. However, consistent self care is essential for taking care of ourselves, helping us feel better in all aspects of our lives!
Work-Life Balance
Achieving a good balance between work and personal life is key to long-term health and happiness. Working too much can lead to stress, amongst a range of other health issues, whilst neglecting work can cause anxiety and reduced job satisfaction. Maintaining a good work-life balance is essential for us to be our best at both work and home.
SaTH’s Commitment to Employee Wellbeing
At SaTH, we are dedicated to supporting the health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. We aim to enable and encourage all our colleagues to lead healthy lives and make choices to support our wellbeing. There are a number of initiatives in place, including;
- Psychological support - access to counseling services, mindfulness workshops, mental health first aiders
- Physical support - fast track phsyiotherapy service, online exercise videos
- Healthy lifestyles and emotional support - access to a wide variety of webinars, toolkits, podcasts and videos covering a range of topics, including stress, sleep, nutrition, menopause, mindfulness, men's health and more!
- Flexible working arrangements - the Trust is proud to offer flexible working arrangements such as condensed hours, hybrid working, set days etc. - please note this is dependant on individual department requirements to maintain a safe service
The Trust also promotes 'Wellbeing Wednesday' each week, which focuses on a different wellbeing topic to help raise awareness and share useful tips, resources and online sessions.
Self Care Activities and Ideas
On this International Self Care Day, take some time to think about how you can look after yourself better. This might be going for a walk, practicing some mindfulness or meditation, or going to bed a little earlier to get a good night's sleep. Even the small things can make a big difference!
Our Recruitment and Onboarding team have shared some of their own self care practices below - we hope they might inspire you to make a small change or implement one of these into your day!
- Always have something booked in your calendar to look forward to - whether this is an event, holiday or party
- Treat yourself to one new thing each month - something that isn't an essential or a 'need', just a nice little treat for you
- Go outside and get some fresh air, whether that's walking the dog, riding your bike or going to your local park
- Prioritise a chilled evening and sleep away from screens at least a couple of times a week. An hour before bed have a bath/shower, a hot drink with a light snack and read a book or listen to an audiobook - this really helps settle you in for a good night's rest
- Enjoy your favourite snack or meal - even if it's a takeaway!
- Listen to your favourite music or podcast on the way home from work, it's a great way to leave the work day behind
- Take up a new hobby or learn a new skill
- Spend time socialising with your friends
- Have a stand of inspirational or motivational quotes on your desk
- Practice calming breathing techniques to help relieve anxiety and stress
- Book a holiday!
Happy International Self Care Day from SaTH Recruitment and Onboarding team!
