Empowering Employees: Essential Self-Care Techniques For Wellbeing

August 28, 2024 / Get Well

Human Resources’ Office of Organizational Learning and Development (OL&D) recently had the wonderful opportunity to partner with the Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW) and the Office of Wellness and Mental Health (OWMH) to bring the NOVA community an engaging webinar focused on self-care strategies. We encourage participants to continue practicing their self-care strategies as a part of their total wellness plan. 

For those who were unable to attend, the webinar focused on different methods of practicing self-care. We also identified common barriers to self-care and discussed strategies to overcome them. Burnout and poor time management skills are two of the most common barriers that prevent people from prioritizing self-care, creating blocks between you and full rest and restoration.

Some signs of burnout include:

  • Changes in behavior
  • Exhaustion
  • Isolation
  • Escape Fantasies
  • Withdrawal
  • Irritability
  • Neglecting Needs

A few strategies to combat burnout include:

  • Pinpointing your stressors
  • Establishing boundaries 
  • Leaning on your community  
  • Reframing your perspective 
  • Diversifying your time 

To manage your time more effectively, it’s important to conduct a time audit. Begin by tracking where your time is currently going. Reflect on your activities over the past 24 to 72 hours and evaluate how you spent your time. Consider whether this matches your desired time allocation. If not, make a conscious effort to prioritize your tasks accordingly. Also, remember to schedule some “me-time” on your calendar to ensure you have time for yourself.

Once you have identified your barriers, you can start to define what self-care means for you. Beyond traditional self-care models, self-care can also look like:

  • Saying “no”
  • Staying at home
  • Setting boundaries
  • Asking for help
  • Forgiving yourself
  • Putting yourself first

Understanding and overcoming personal barriers to self-care is essential for overall wellbeing. If you missed this insightful session, don’t worry! You can still access the valuable resources we shared here. We will also be providing this session again on September 13 at 9 a.m.! Please stay tuned for details on how to register and be sure to stay connected to the OL&D team for this and other professional development opportunities.

Teal colored bulletin board with red and white foam mushrooms and two hands placing letters that say, "May Yourself a Priority."

Submitted by:
Faith Redd-Walker, HR-Organizational Learning and Development, hrlearn@nvcc.edu