Surviving Tough Times at Work: Some helpful tips

There are days when you leave work feeling like you've given everything you had yet still wonder whether it was enough. You carry difficult conversations home with you, think about the people you've supported long after your shift has finished, and wake up the next morning ready to do it all again.

If that sounds familiar, you are certainly not alone.

 1. Emotional Survival: Be Kind to Yourself The work you do matters. Even if nobody says it, even if the impact isn’t immediate, you are changing lives.

Self-care idea: Keep a "Wins List." Every time something goes right (a patient says thanks, a foster child smiles, a crisis is averted), write it down. On bad days, read it and remind yourself why you do this. 

 2. Psychological Survival: Share the Load You’re not a superhero (unless you have an invisible cape, in which case, cool). You don’t have to do it all alone. Find your work bestie, chat when needed, and share the burden. If your workplace is stressful, create tiny moments of joy, a fun group chat, an emergency chocolate stash, or a “most ridiculous complaint of the day” contest.

 Self-care idea: Start a buddy system. If you see someone struggling, check in. And let them check in on you too. Nobody should have to tough it out alone.

 3. Physical Survival: Sleep, Water, and the Power of Snacks Yes, you’re busy, yes, breaks feel like a luxury, but your body is the machine that keeps you going, and if you neglect it, it will shut down at the worst possible time (probably mid-shift, mid-meeting, or mid-"Why is this child covered in glitter?"). 

Self-care idea: Set phone alarms to drink water, stretch, or inhale a snack that isn’t just caffeine and regret. And for the love of all things good, try to sleep. Sleep deprivation turns even the nicest person into a gremlin.

Even on the busiest days, small actions matter. Take a proper breath before your next meeting. Drink the glass of water you've been meaning to have for the last hour. Step outside for five minutes. Speak to someone you trust. Accept help when it is offered. If the photocopier jams for the third time today, perhaps remember that it is probably having a difficult day too.

 4. Look After Each Other The best workplaces aren’t the ones with the fanciest coffee machines; they’re the ones where people have each other’s backs. Compliment your colleagues, tell them they’re doing great.

Be the reason someone gets through their shift in one piece. If all else fails, remember: Tough times don’t last, but tough people (who take care of themselves) do.

This week, ask yourself one simple question: What is one small thing I can do today to take better care of myself?

Perhaps ask someone else the same question.

So go ahead.... keep making your Self-care Inevitable!