You're facing the demands of social work. How can you prioritize self-care in your daily routine?

I make sure that I set boundaries not just with others but with myself. I work very hard to make sure that I commit to myself and MY boundaries. I get up daily and light a candle. I listen to calming sounds like water and I remain unapologetic about my self care.

Setting bounadary is a skill to be developed as a professional in social work. This helps in ensuring the professional relationship to be respectful, ethical and appropriate. Failure in establishing the boubdaries can ruin the career and reputation.

I completely agree. As a social worker with over 20 years of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how vital self-care is in preventing compassion fatigue and burnout, which can be detrimental to our profession. Setting boundaries, like not responding to clients in the late evening, is a crucial aspect of self-care. It’s essential to invest in yourself to provide the best support for those you serve. Boundaries help maintain a healthy work-life balance, ensuring you can continue to help others effectively.

As a social worker, you must never neglect the importance of a healthy work environment as much as you want to have a good communication Aura with colleagues it’s good to always set boundaries politely

As a Social Worker, our roles require a lot of heavy lifting and our skill set is unique to us. We most always put forth effort to take of ourselves, as much as we do our clients. I believe that starts with self-inflicted empathy. We, too, are human. We, too, have trauma. We, too, deserve grace. We, too, deserve rest. We, too, deserve physical, emotional, and mental well-being. All this comes with using each of the tools listed in this article. In certain seasons, some may be more tangible than others, but one does not stand alone.

I have witnessed first hand colleagues with burnout and have learned some valuable lessons on how to prioritize my own self-care. One of the first things I noted was to not put in hours off the clock for several reasons, one management starts to believe the 50-60 hours of work a caseworker is completing can be done in the 40 hours that were clocked. Caseworkers who put in hours while not clocked in began to resent the duties of their job as they put in long hours without financial compensation, and their families resented the time away from family. The periodic need to work additional hours that are compensated is understandable however this should be few and far between. Personally I try to take my lunch hour with family or friends daily.

At my current location of employment, I have the ability to work from home. With that being said, after using this opportunity to work in the comfort of my home, I found that my place of comfort was no longer. I began to take work home consistently. Taking work home did not work for me because I didn’t know when to stop. Boundaries apply to time, people, place and space. I became aware of my pattern and am mindful of the difference between working from home and taking work home.

In my experience, I have discovered that there are several categories to consider if you are practicing real self-care. I agree with those that mentioned establishing and maintaining clear boundaries. Boundaries are extremely necessary. But I think it is important to tend to your emotional (i.e. stay in touch with important people in your life), psychological (get a therapist!), physical (i.e. exercise), professional (i.e. taking a break during your work day), and spiritual (i.e. prayer and reflection) self-care. If you do not take care of you, how can you take care of anyone else?

Self-care has to be more than a practice it has to be a mindset. This is the only way to make a long term and sustainable difference.

I definitely practice self care daily. Once I’m off the clock, I’m done social working. Weather is listening to music, my favorite podcasts, playing ps5, my self care is essential to my own mental health and stability.

Scheduling time for self-care for me is an extension of boundary management. Many of us in this field are juggling multiple roles and responsibilities so we thrive on having an up-to-date calendar. Carving out time in your mind for self-care is one thing but in reality it is something completely different which is why putting it on the calendar helps you commit. It could be something as small as using half an hour of your lunch hour to take a walk outside or run a quick errand. Even something larger such as a monthly massage and a lunch for yourself where you actually block out time on your calendar both personally and professionally so nothing else interferes with that time. It's your time.

I completely agree. As a social worker with over 20 years of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how vital self-care is in preventing compassion fatigue and burnout, which can be detrimental to our profession. Setting boundaries, like not responding to clients in the late evening, is a crucial aspect of self-care. It’s essential to invest in yourself to provide the best support for those you serve. Boundaries help maintain a healthy work-life balance, ensuring you can continue to help others effectively.

One of the first questions we are asked in our required boundary training continuing education is, "How do you care for yourself?" One of the ways I do is follow Dr.'s orders to swim 3 times a week in a heated pool for exercise and pain control of lupus. I also keep in mind that we needs to put on our own oxygen mask on the plane if we are going to helps others who will need our help or we wouldn't be able to help them.

Self care is so important after all you must love your self first before people can love you. If you don’t appreciate yourself you won’t know how to make people value you.

I believe putting first thing first relating to social work must be scheduling time, taking care of oneself. self-care matters without much argument.

Suivre un planning claire et harmonisé en tenant compte des activités personnelles (sport, balades, lecture, rencontres, consultations médicales ) qui non pas forcément un lien avec notre travail car le travail social demande beaucoup d'énergie et de force mentale.

Yes, and no. Self-care activities only offer temporary success. Transformation only happens with a genuine professional self-care mindset shift. A genuine professional self-care mindset is what ultimately leads to meaningful AND lasting changes. Long walks on the beach are great acts of self-care, but they are not a mindset or lifelong strategy.

I subscribe to the idea of thinking like an athlete. An athlete is paid to perform physically and mentally, and it's not much different as a social worker. I work out regularly and enjoy a balanced diet of foods I love and foods that are good for me. While not a hardcore athlete, I pay attention to what makes me feel best and most productive in the morning. Sometimes I intermittent fast with caffeine, and sometimes I eat eggs with my two boys. It depends on my plans and how I feel that day. The key is understanding what makes your mind and body work best and knowing when to implement these practices.

Focusing on my physical health has become a top priority for me, especially lately. Without good health, it's impossible to carry out your purpose effectively. Prioritizing physical well-being ensures that I can continue to support and serve others to the best of my ability.

I agree! Prioritizing your own mental and physical health is like putting on your oxygen mask on an airplane before and so that you can help others.

I married a social worker. I know shop talk in most industries among partners is tough but for us it's always been beneficial! We both take our roles as clinicians and leaders very serious and have jobs separate from each other as well as run a practice together. Every once in a while, one of us will say "hey no work talks today let's just be" but for the most part it is amazing support all the time! PS If your already married to a non-social worker I would not advise seeking out a new relationship! lol But my wife is also my best friend and seeking out a close friend in the field would be advisable!

Evening Wind-Down Routine: Digital Detox: Unplug from work-related emails and notifications at least an hour before bed. This helps reduce stress and promotes better sleep. Relaxation Activities: Engage in activities that help you relax, such as reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing deep breathing exercises before bed.

Client ownership An exemplary social worker would empower clients to take ownership of their affairs and the service process while providing guidance to help them navigate it effectively.