First Responders First - Stress relieving activities

Often, it’s easy for self-care to fade into the background as demands increase. However, taking small, conscious, and actionable steps every day can make a positive impact on life and work.

Here are some tips to support healthy stress levels and manage self-care, stress, mental well-being, and interpersonal connections.

Self-care activities help support your body’s physiological needs and keep it recharged. First, stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle nearby.

This could be at your station or in the break room. Hydrating with water can limit sugar intake and prevent sugar-related energy crashes.

Second, allow your body to slow down, especially during meals. This brief pause can provide a mental break and promote proper digestion.

Third, recharge your body with enough sleep to recover and repair itself. When getting inadequate sleep, take naps or close your eyes for five to ten minutes to allow the body and mind to rest before moving to the next task.

Planning for adequate sleep is particularly important in planning for shift work. Fourth, maintain good posture and focus on extending the spine when walking or sitting.

This relieves tension and improves focus. Finally, avoid substances that can impair judgment like tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs as these can be harmful and prevent the body and mind from restoring balance.

Follow these steps to reduce the burden of stress on the body. First, identify personal warning signs of stress and recognize their triggers.

These can include increased heart rate, difficulty concentrating, negative emotions such as irritability, anxiety, or sadness, and social conflicts.

Use these signs to help guide breaks throughout the day. Second, recognize moments that can cause mental or emotional distress and allow your body time to recharge.

This can include stepping away from stressful notifications, news, and social media. During particularly challenging moments, take extra time to recover and pause to remember the positive reasons for joining this field.

Third, take breaks to unwind. This can include the use of techniques to increase circulation and release muscle tension, like one-minute stretch breaks or walks outside in the sun.

Fresh air and sunlight can help reset the circadian rhythm and provide vitamin D to the body. Finally, practice gratitude by taking moments like the 20 seconds of handwashing to recall three things you are grateful for.

Mental well-being activities can keep your mind calm and focused. First, take short breaks and practice deep breathing, especially if you are feeling detached, numb, or overwhelmed.

Listen to calm music during breaks, or when a shift ends. Limit phone usage, as it can distract from self-awareness and leave you feeling disconnected.

Second, recognize when self-talk becomes negative. Thoughts that begin with “I am the only person who can do” can impose unreasonable burdens on yourself and statements like “It would be selfish to take time to rest” or “Others are working around the clock, so should I” are harmful and can increase anxiety.

Finally, take small steps to regain control. Reframe your thoughts to identify small steps you can take to help give you a sense of control and confidence in your abilities.

Positive self-talk, rather than self-criticism, can contribute to decreased stress. Interpersonal connection activities can keep you connected and self-aware about the impacts of stress.

Check-in regularly with your support system. This can include staying in contact with friends and family.

At work, find a teammate or someone with a grounding presence to connect with daily. Being open and honest with others about your struggles will allow you to accept and overcome them yourself.

Also, support others in their times of need. Help teammates when they share their suffering by simply listening and being there for them at the moment.

Finally, focus on positive acts and acknowledge a teammate whenever you recognize these accomplishments.##SummaryAs a quick recap, stress permeates daily life, and taking steps to manage stress can prevent it from becoming overwhelming.

These steps include prioritizing self-care, reducing the burden of stress, promoting mental well-being, and cultivating interpersonal connections.

First, self-care activities include methods to support the physical body, including staying hydrated, taking conscious moments to slow down, getting enough sleep, maintaining good posture, and avoiding substances that can impair judgment.

Second, identification of personal warning signs and distressing moments can reduce the burden of stress by signaling when you need to take a break, reframe your thoughts, or shift your mindset.

Recharge by taking time to unwind and by practicing gratitude. Third, mental well-being activities can keep the mind calm and focused.

Incorporate short breaks and deep breathing, focus on positive self-talk, and take small steps to regain control. Finally, interpersonal connection activities keep you connected and self-aware of the impacts of stress.

Regularly check in with your support system and help others