Investing in Your Mental Health: Why Self Care is Important to Health Practice Owners

It would be a gross understatement to say that the last few years haven’t been stressful and challenging for all of us—no matter the profession. However, in this blog post, the team at LenDRgroup Consulting wants to discuss why healthcare practice owners need to take some time this holiday season and make a different sort of investment.

Namely, an investment in self-care and your mental well-being.

Yes, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 felt like a tipping point for all of us—but the one group that has had to shoulder much more of the burden is that of individuals who work in the healthcare field. Combine that stress with practice ownership, to boot, and there is no denying that many doctors, dentists, and veterinaries are suffering from unprecedented levels of exhaustion, burnout, and stress—on an emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual level.

As you read on, we encourage you to take some of the strategies we are going to discuss to heart and spend some time over the holidays to be mindful of your health. Step away from your business, invest in self-care, and recharge with your loved ones and friends.

5 Self-Care Strategies for Busy Healthcare Practice Owners

There’s no denying that in the thick of nurturing a successful business how incredibly easy it is to forget to nurture oneself. Neglecting self-care and mental well-being practices is all too common among healthcare practice owners. As such, here are five self-care strategies that will prioritize your well-being and fit into your busy professional life.

• Take the time to exercise. Yes, you likely encourage your patients to spend time engaging in physical activity, hitting the gym, or simply going for a walk to get up and moving at regular intervals. So, why aren’t you following your own advice? Not only does regular exercise minimize stress, but it boosts the part of your brain that is in charge of memory and learning. The CDC says that the average adult should get about 150 minutes of exercise per week; therefore, this holiday season, break this time commitment down into chunks. Go on a 20-minute walk with your dog, spend 15 minutes at the gym over lunch, or use your bike as transportation to and from your office—whatever makes you feel good. Investing in micro-bursts of activity will help you clear your head and get some endorphins pumping.
  
  
• Invest in healthy sleep. You might feel like you have to burn the midnight oil getting caught up with administrative tasks associated with your healthcare practice, but this contributes to sleep deprivation. Restructure your routine this holiday season and actively look to transform your sleeping habits so you can get eight hours of sleep at night. Or, if this isn’t possible, make time for a power nap during the day.
  
  
• Seek human interaction. We recognize that it is likely that you interact with other people all day. However, realize that these people are your patients and staff members. Not that you don’t have a vested interest in their lives and well-being, but your mood would probably be boosted by spending additional time with your family, loved ones, and friends… especially around the holidays. Therefore, consider limiting some office hours when you can and make a concerted effort to solidify plans with people who are close to you—even for something as simple as watching a new Netflix series, spending time making cookies with your kids, or just vegging out and having a meaningful conversation that doesn’t involve your work.
  
  
• Indulge a little. When was the last time you gave yourself the gift of health and wellness? For instance, use some downtime this holiday season to go get a massage, a manicure and pedicure, a stretch session or yoga, or some other indulgent service. Even 20 minutes of meditation will help calm your overworked nervous system. These seemingly small acts can motivate you through a rough patch, allow you to shut off your mind, and relieve tension.
  
  
• Think about turning off your electronics. We feel that this is an important one—and something we all should be encouraged to do. Take advantage of the slower pace of the holiday season at work to shut off your phone and detox from your devices. If you are in a position where you might have to answer emergency calls from a patient, then consider using a forwarding service that can get in touch with you only if it is absolutely necessary. Additionally, find out if it is possible to partner with another provider who might have the bandwidth to take on an emergency call if you have scheduled some much-needed downtime with your family. At the end of the day, there is never any harm in setting boundaries or asking for help.

LenDRgroup Consulting Believes in the Power of Mental & Physical Wellness

While our business plans focus on developing strategies for healthcare practice owners to achieve financial wellness and stability, we are equally as passionate about the mental and physical health of our clients.

Make time for yourself so you can truly give back to your team members and patients in 2023 and if you would like to see more of this kind of content, please subscribe to our blog!