HomeCare Australia is a fantastic place to work. There is nothing more rewarding than helping vulnerable people, the disabled and elderly achieve their goals and help them to live independently.
Like any other industry, HomeCare Australia staff face challenges. In many situations, how we perform our job directly impacts on our customer’s quality of life.
It can be challenging, constantly striving to help others live with comfort and independence and can take its toll on those providing care.
The nature of the work we do at HomeCare Australia requires our staff to be resilient, while at the same time taking sufficient steps to look after their wellbeing and stress management. HomeCare Australia employees need to find a balance between providing exceptional service for the vulnerable and looking after their own wellbeing and their relationships with friends and family.
Building Resilience and stress management Resilience is one of the human race’s best qualities. It is the culmination of being able to adapt and face adversity, challenges, trauma, death, difficulty and distress and come back from this adversity as strong, if not, stronger than before.
Staff at HomeCare Australia face adversity regularly. There are many ways to help build resilience to overcome hardship in our roles. Building resilience goes hand in hand with personal wellbeing and stress management. Here are some important tips to build resilience and look after your wellbeing and those of other staff members, family and friends:
1. Build strong relationships Strong relationships are the cornerstone to resilience. Having a core of people both at work and at home you can rely on for support the most important aspect of bouncing back from adversity. 2. Accept things that can’t be changed Letting go is a huge part of resilience. Focusing on what you can control can help you channel your energy in the right direction. 3. Practice mindfulness Attitude is everything. It is good to keep track of your thought patterns and recognise negative and harmful thinking. A positive outlook will help you see events for what they are and build confidence and help you trust your own decision-making. If you find yourself struggling, the best thing to do is take a few minutes out, focus on your breathing and bring yourself back to the present.
4. Maintain perspective Even in extremely stressful events and situations try to view things in light of the bigger picture. It can be easy to become consumed in stressful events you are dealing with. A long-term outlook can help you manage these situations better; knowing the tough times will pass.
5. Take care of yourself Make sure you have mental and physical releases from work. Immerse yourself in hobbies/activities you enjoy, exercise regularly and manage your nutrition well, particularly your sugar intake.
6. Do not be afraid to ask for help It can be extremely damaging to hold stress, trauma and adversity internally. Do not be afraid to ask for help to get through. Whether you lean on trusted colleagues, family and friends or health professionals it is better to share the load than carry the world on your shoulders.
