6 self-care steps for a pandemic — always important, now essential

Airline attendants say it well: if the plane hits turbulence and the oxygen masks come down, place a mask on yourself first before turning to help others. This is absolutely critical. If we don’t, we may not be able to help anyone. Well, we’ve all hit the same turbulence, folks, and we all need to take good care of ourselves, our bodies, and our minds. Healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic absolutely have to be functioning well in order to do their jobs well. At such a stressful time, with so much change and uncertainty, combined with the pressures of patient care during this pandemic, it almost seems like too much. How are people like doctors holding it together? Could we all learn from their tips on coping? This week, I reached out to my colleagues in the Massachusetts General Hospital Healthy Lifestyle Program to find out. We’re all primary care physicians within the Division of General Internal Medicine who have been urgently redeployed to new and different jobs, such as staffing our makeshift COVID-19 surge clinics, learning new technology to provide much-needed telehealth, and creating serious illness plans with our most at-risk patients. During a period when stress and fear are running high, these six strategies from my colleagues can help. Acknowledge the turbulence Ben Crocker, MD, is the medical director of a large primary care practice and a healthy lifestyle advocate. “Social distancing and the loss of work and/or routine are ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Exercise and Fitness Health Healthy Eating Mental Health Source Type: blogs