When you fly, you have heard the flight attendants during the pre-departure announcement say: “If we lose cabin pressure, a mask will fall from above. Put your mask on first, then assist your child or companion who might need help. They do this because you can only help yourself if you are well.

Self-care and wellness are essential competencies for all of us, but especially for healthcare workers and, more specifically, nurses. As Nurse Case Managers, we have a huge responsibility and great pressure to do our jobs well. Today, so many people depend on us for their survival. With a fragmented and complex system taking away so many resources, we cannot do what our jobs call for.

Nurses are trained to care for others, yet we often neglect our well-being. As case managers, we educate and empower our patients to self-advocate and learn how to care for themselves, even in the face of catastrophic illness or injury. Many of us work diligently in our roles, but we often fail to extend the same level of care to ourselves.

Over the long term, stress builds, we become less confident, and we burn out, causing us to lose what we love: our families, friends, and sometimes ourselves.

In this post, I share a tool I came across that can help you track your wellness and see where you are doing well, and you can make changes. The tool was developed by Kasey Pacheco, a Holistic Nurse passionate about harmonizing products and services to reduce burnout within the nursing community. She permitted me to share her Burnout Prevention Workbook for Leaders. Kasey has given you a wonderful gift. The Prevent Burnout Workbook usually costs $12.99, but you can get it for free for readers of Nurse Advocate. Go to: https://www.preserversoflife.com/product-page/burnout-prevention-workbook-for-leaders. Use Coupon Code: LoveU to get YOUR free copy.

I sincerely hope you will use this gift to access and review the workbook. It’s a small step, but it’s a step towards a healthier, more balanced life. Do it for yourself because you are worth it!

To learn more about Kasey, visit her website at https://www.preserversoflife.com.