This week’s surprise lesson for me was experiencing how it can be quite stressful to be kind to oneself. Might sound paradoxical, yet this was my direct experience.
Simple practices – like letting the computer screen hibernate for the 5-7 minutes I have lunch, finishing my shift on time, allowing myself to not eat the fast food brought in by a well wisher and instead have a salad pre-prepared for work… Simple practices of self compassion and self care that should feel easy – but didn’t. Similar to the initial discomfort that comes when (re)learning a skill.
A big positive for the week – recognising this week’s ‘pause’ provided the team with the kind of time and space that nurtures psychological safety. Will this be at the cost of losing project momentum ? Or will individual and team motivation be boosted instead ? We will find out as the new week dawns …
Emergency Department Compassion 