Yes, social works have time for stress relief. I have been a licensed clinical social worker for over 20 years and I know stress relief does not come easily. Social workers carry their stress like badges as they go from one crisis to another. Schedules change without notice. Emergencies occur causing total disruption of planned daily activities. Stress levels rise with each unplanned occurrence. The numbers of cases on the caseload does not adequately reflect the actions it takes to resolve each situation.
The negative effect of stress is compounded by a sense that there is little support and few resources available to accomplish defined goals. Lunch is eaten on the fly. Cars have mustard and ketchup stains on the seats. Dried sweet tea drops splatter the steering column. The work goes home with us. We get calls after hours from clients, providers, and supervisors interrupting dinner and family time.
When do we have time to deal with our own family and our own stress? Seasoned social workers have learned to turn the work off and leave it at the office. The stress remains.
In an article I wrote and posted on Happyhalfhour.club, I talk about sleep as a means to stress relief. We all have to sleep and we dedicate time to sleeping. Enhance your stress relief routine with restful sleep. No additional time or effort is needed. The article is entitled “Ninety Nine, Ninety Eight, ZZZZZZZ”. Enjoy the article and in the mean time, here are a few more resources.
Download your free copy of Stress is Personal: Your Personal Starter Guide to Stress Relief. This 36 page guide contains easy to use tips to lower your stress level. Read real life scenarios to learn how people similar to you got through it. The print version is also available through MagCloud Publishing.
Anna and the Camping Trip – Complete Series with Bonuses is a collection of bedtime stories designed to help you to fall asleep in 30 minutes or less. Each story shares Anna’s “adventures” as she relaxes in the mountains on a camping trip with her husband and her dog. These stories use mindfulness and relaxation techniques to calm your mind and relax your body.
I help social workers and other professionals to “get through the day without losing it.” I would love to hear from you. You may join the conversation by commenting on this post on our Facebook fan page REAL Social Workers Online Magazine, or connecting with me on LinkedIn. Learn more about Happyhalfhour.club, created for “hardworking professionals who want to be happy.” We provide stress relieving tips and techniques to calm your mind and relax your body in 30 minutes or less.
Dear Ms. Bailey,
Thank you for continuing the conversation about social workers and ways to relieve stress. I agree that it is poissible to make time for stress relief. I have been waking up at 5:00 AM since the month of February. I use this time first thing in the morning to exercise and meditate on my faith and the things I am thankful for. I always admired those who got up early in the morning to start the day off right. and, once you get used to setting aside time to de-stress, it becomes a healthy habit.