b'BALANCE & RESILIENCEIn the throes ofCOVID-19 burnout What can we learn fromhealth cares thrivers?By Drs. Wayne M. Sotile & Gary R. SimondsSome people dont just survive lifes storms, they come out stronger. Drs. Wayne M. Sotile andGary R. Simonds have studied what sets them apart. Here are a few of their resilience secrets.T he pandemic is taking anof self-compassion and self-careThey celebrate being part of the unmeasurable toll on healthbecause many people in health carehealth care team. In the midst of your care workers. Theyre stressed,wear their self-neglect as a badge ofdaily work, it is important to keep sight exhausted, disillusioned and burnedhonour. Notice what makes you feelof what you and your colleagues are out. Some are crippled by PTSD. Manygood or bad; what angers and excitesall trying to do. No matter what part are contemplating leaving health careyou; and what brings you joy, peace,you play in health care, your work altogether. If youre one of the walkingwonder or meaning. Make micro- andcontributes. It has real meaning, and woundedor a leader trying to helpmacro-adjustments as needed. you should revel in that fact. If you a whole team of them stay upright are not directly involved in care, your whats the solution? Is there one? They nourish and cherish theirinfluence may feel more abstract. Try relationships. This is the secondto trace the steps from your particular Gary R. Simonds, MD, MHCDS, alongcritical factor for health care workers.work to its eventual impact on the with Wayne M. Sotile, PhD, haveWe are social creatures, but thecare of a single person in care. Its written Thriving in Healthcare: Aintense work of health care can belikely that the degrees of separation Positive Approach to Reclaim Balanceisolating, and our fatigue after workare very few, no matter your job. and Avoid Burnout in Your Busy Life.hours isolates us further. Because They have spent decades pinpointingwe are tired and drained, we mayThrivers demystify and partner with why some people emerge strongerstop going out and developing newleadership. Work on breaking the us from conditions that devastatefriendships. Its critical to stop thisversus them mentality. Dont just take others. Their book shares solutionscycle and fully commit to nourishingcomfort in the notion that theres a based on their work developing ayour relationshipswith coworkers asteam dedicated to facilitating your groundbreaking resilience program forwell as loved ones.work efforts, but befriend and engage an ultra-high-intensity health them in your efforts to provide care team. They debrief the challenges of thehigh-quality, high-efficiency work. day and celebrate the uplifts. SharingSeek to understand your leaderships As we grapple with how to movehurtful experiences from the dark sideinfrastructure; learn how decisions forward in what feels like a war-tornof your work-lifedisappointments,are made and enacted, and identify landscape, we need to study healthembarrassment, confrontations,the key players in your sphere of cares thrivers, says Dr. Sotile. Itfunction. Take any opportunity to feels strange to use the word thriveresilience breakdowns, etc.can buildmeet and chat with them and educate alongside a tragedy like COVID, butempathy and lessen the pain. Whenthem on your role, and volunteer I dont mean to be insensitive. Weyou share (or listen to colleaguesfor institutional committees. Get all deserve to find meaning, wonderas they share), focus on the effectinvolved. Be known; be seen. When and enjoyment in our daily lives. Thatof the experience(s) rather than thetheres a problem, dont rail at your includes health care workers. details. How did it feel? What wereadministrators. Calmly discuss the lessons learned? How could theproblems with them and bring a The authors share a few of thestoryteller have managed the eventsselection of possible solutions. resilience secrets health cares thriversor his or her responses to them have in common: differently? Likewise, make a habit ofThey maintain healthy habits no seeking, collecting and reflecting onmatter how busy they are. You must Thrivers grant themselves permissiondaily uplifts. This is not just a feel- find a balance between working hard for self-compassion and self-care.good ploy. Multiple studies supportand getting enough rest, exercise and This is the first of two critical factors inthe concept that collecting upliftsgood nutrition, so you can maintain building and sustaining resilience. Youcan significantly boost well-being andyour physical and mental health. A will need to normalize the conceptcounter psychological distress.few tips for building healthy habits:52 LONG TERM CARE TODAY Fall/Winter 2021'