208 unit 3 | Professional Issues
Belief
Now that you have done the Apart of stress man-
agement, you are ready to move on to B,which is
belief in yourself. Your relationship with your
inner self may be the most important relationship
of all. Building your self-image and self-esteem
will enable you to block out negativism
(Davidhizar, 1994). You must also believe that
your destiny is not inevitable but that change is
possible. Be honest with yourself. Truly value
your life. Ask yourself, “If I could live 1 more
month, what would I do?”—and start doing it
( Johnston, 1994).
Commitment
As you move forward to C,you will need to make a
commitment to continuing to work on stress recog-
nition and reduction. Once you have recognized the
warning signs of stress and impending burnout and
have gained some insight into your personal needs
and reactions to stress, it is time to find the stress
management techniques that are right for you.
The stress management techniques in the next
section are divided into physical and mental health
management for ease in reading and remembering
them. However, bear in mind that this is really an
artificial division and that mind and body interact
continuously. Stress affects both mind and body, and
you need to care for both if you are going to be suc-
cessful in managing stress and preventing burnout.Physical Health Management
Nurses spend much of their time teaching their
patients the basics of keeping themselves healthy.
However, many fail to apply these principles in their
own lives. Some of the most important aspects of
health promotion and stress reduction are reviewed
in this section: deep breathing, good posture, rest,
relaxation, proper nutrition, and exercise (Davidhizar,
1994; Posen, 2000; Wolinski, 1993).Deep Breathing
Most of the time, people use only 45% of their lung
capacity when they breathe. Remember all the
times you instructed your patients to “take a fewAdapted from Golin, M., Buchlin, M., & Diamond, D. (1991). Secrets of
Executive Success. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press; and Goliszek, A. (1992).
Sixty-Six Second Stress Management: The Quickest Way to Relax and Ease
Anxiety.Far Hills, N.J.: New Horizon.box 13-3
Assessing Your Risk for Burnout
Do you feel more fatigued than energetic?
Do you work harder but accomplish less?
Do you feel cynical or disenchanted most of the time?
Do you often feel sad or cry for no apparent reason?
Do you feel hostile, negative, or angry at work?
Are you short-tempered? Do you withdraw from friends or
coworkers?
Do you forget appointments or deadlines? Do you
frequently misplace personal items?
Are you becoming insensitive, irritable, and short-tempered?
Do you experience physical symptoms such as headaches
or stomachaches?
Do you feel like avoiding people?
Do you laugh less? Feel joy less often?
Are you interested in sex?
Do you crave junk food more often?
Do you skip meals?
Have your sleep patterns changed?
Do you take more medication than usual? Do you use alco-
hol or other substances to alter your mood?
Do you feel guilty when your work is not perfect?
Are you questioning whether the job is right for you?
Do you feel as though no one cares what kind of work you
do?
Do you constantly push yourself to do better, yet feel frus-
trated that there is no time to do what you want to do?
Do you feel as if you are on a treadmill all day?
Do you use holidays, weekends, or vacation time to catch
up?
Do you feel as if you are “burning the candle at both ends”?box 13-4
Questions for Self-Assessment
What does the term healthmean to me?
What prevents me from living this definition of health?
Is health important to me?
Where do I find support?
Which coping methods work best for me?
What tasks cause me to feel pressured?
Can I reorganize, reduce, or eliminate these tasks?
Can I delegate or rearrange any of my family responsibilities?
Can I say no to less important demands?
What are my hopes for the future in terms of (1) career
(2) finances (3) spiritual life and physical needs (4) family
relationships (5) social relationships?
What do I think others expect of me?
How do I feel about these expectations?
What is really important to me?
Can I prioritize in order to have balance in my life?