By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
“I feel like a car running on fumes.” That is how a nurse leader recently described her energy level. In the first few months, the adrenaline was high. The changes were rapid-fire, and leaders moved with the flow. But now, weeks have moved into months, and exhaustion is the common theme I am hearing from leaders. Some are in hot spots now – others not, but this pandemic has taken a toll on leaders, even those who were not at the center of the action.
Some of the team camaraderie experienced in the early phase of the crisis has shifted to negativity, and bad behavior as staff see no clear end in sight to the crisis. Many leaders have taken little if any time off with no planned summer vacations. The escalation of phase 1 of the pandemic seems inevitable in many parts of the country. Hospital systems are in financial trouble adding to the stress.
All of this is to be expected. We know from physiological evidence that our brains were never designed to stay in a sustained flight or fight mode. We love to be on autopilot with established routines and a high degree of predictability in our life patterns. When we can’t be on autopilot, it takes energy. The more change – the more energy we have to use. Self-care has never been more important or more challenging. Some lessons that I have learned about self-care on my leadership journey include the following:
1. Rest is an investment in yourself, your team, and your future.
We know from work studies involving nurses that a lack of rest leads to fatigue, problems with concentration, difficulty controlling emotions, and poor decision making. Leaders, too, experience these problems when they work long hours and stimulate themselves with caffeine to keep going. Caring for self is not selfish behavior on the part of leaders. This investment in rest will make you feel better, be more alert, and better able to process the many challenges that leaders confront today.
2. Recharging your battery will make you a better leader.
Leaders sometimes worry about what will happen if they take time off. The reality is that recharging your battery will both make you a better leader and reduce the likelihood of role burnout. Taking periodic planned vacations is very important, even if it is a stay vacation right now. This recharging of your mind, body, and emotions allows you to be at your best so you can be of service to others. Throughout their careers, nurse leaders learn that life and work continue in their absence. Wise leaders know that often the most robust gauge of their leadership is how well they have developed others to function when they are not there.
3. Find an activity outside of work that brings you self-renewal
Leaders should take the time to find at least one activity outside of work that quiets your mind, soothe your soul, and re-energizes you. This activity could be meditation, yoga, walking, reading, cooking, or prayer. The choice of action is highly personal. It should be something that enhances your well-being and something you can commit to frequently doing.
4. Leaders set the example for self-care on their teams.
In talking with younger nurses, they will often tell me that they are concerned about taking leadership positions because they see the imbalance in the life of their leader. Leaders set the example for self-care. If it appears to your staff that self-care and leadership are mutually exclusive from observing your behaviors, then this will be the impression that they have about leadership. To achieve a healthy work environment, leaders need to promote the idea of self-care, and role modeling is a powerful way to do this.
Attention to our own self-care will both keep us vibrant. It is an important value to embed into your culture now more than ever.
Read to Lead
Brown, C.J. (2009). Self-renewal in nursing leadership: The lived experience of caring for self. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 27 (2), 75-84.
Virtual Workshops for Nurse Leaders are now available. Learn more at Virtual Workshops
Read Rose Sherman’s book – The Nurse Leader Coach: Become the Boss No One Wants to Leave
© emergingrnleader.com 2020
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