EP 23: How to Quickly Relieve Stress

All nurses and midwives experience stress in the course of their work.<br />Having ways to quickly manage stress is crucial for one’s wellbeing and performance at work.<br />In this solo episode, Nathan shares a powerful tool that helps to relieve stress, understand one’s emotions better, and develop self-compassion.<br />It is a useful exercise that any nurse or midwife can practice. It could also easily be incorporated into restorative supervision sessions or any wellbeing activity with your colleagues.<br /><br />KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE<br />Activation of the sympathetic nervous system leads to physiological responses to stress.<br />Stress is often experienced as an amorphous "blob" of emotions. This is not very helpful for us.<br />Nathan discussed the importance of identifying and naming specific emotions.<br />When we have a more significant emotional vocabulary, that helps us to process emotions better.<br />When we practice pausing and naming our emotions in the moment, it helps us understand how we're truly feeling about something.<br />Nathan shared the P.N.A. Process for Self-CompassionP: Pause - Taking a moment to recognize stress and emotionsN: Naming the emotions underlying stressA: Allowing the emotions to be present without judgment<br />Self-compassion can have a substantial cumulative impact on our mental and physical health.<br />To download the companion workbook and guide that goes with this episode, head over to this link: https://nurse-wellbeing-missio....n.mylearnworlds.com/ <br />Follow Nathan and Nurse Wellbeing Mission for more practical preventative mental health tools for nurses and midwives:<br />Join our free Facebook group for wellbeing resources: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nursewellbeingmission <br />Find our wellbeing services at our website: www.nursewellbeingmission.com Instagram: @_nursewellbeingmission Twitter: @NurseWellbeing