Wellbeing tips for working on the front line in the NHS

Living through a pandemic is a testing experience. The inability to share moments with loved ones; the worry of contracting the virus or passing it over to someone else; and having your ‘normal life’ stripped away in order to protect yourself. This is testing enough for the average person.

However, for those front-line workers who are continually working in the NHS, enduring a pandemic on top of already having to cope with the above can be quite challenging. Here at Maxxima, we ensure that our clients’ and candidates’ well-being is at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of tips and advice for anyone working in the NHS or the healthcare system during the pandemic.

Making time for your mental health

Having to cope with the current situation may often lead to a negative atmosphere in the workplace and at home. That’s why it’s so important to put your mental health as a priority. Reach out to your team to gain support; talk about your day with a loved one or family member; and remember to take some time for yourself, such as going for a walk or doing something you enjoy. Ensure that your mental health is looked after during this time.

It can also be hard to adjust from working in a high-intensity atmosphere dealing with multiple crises, to then staying at home and not spending time with family and friends during your time off. That’s where video calls and socially distanced walks can be very helpful. It may be that you want to simply rest and recuperate on your day off – which is completely acceptable. In fact, it’s important to listen to your body on your days off and do what feels right for you. However, it’s also key to keep connected with friends and family in any way that you can – in order to gain a sense of normality in your day-to-day.

Lean on your team for support

One of the best tips to help you cope with a pandemic while working in the NHS is supporting and gaining support from your team. It’s important to lean on like-minded team members who are dealing with the same things that you are, and understand what you’re going through. Make time during the busy shifts to offload on each other – talk through what has happened during the day, and how it makes you feel. It’s much easier to offload with your team and then pick yourself up and carry on working, rather than keeping it to yourself and bottling it up.

When you’re off work

This is your time to unwind and relax, and this time is equally as important as your working day. Some of the best things to do to relax when you’re off work are:

• Avoiding the news – working in a hospital shows you first-hand the severity of the pandemic. Avoiding the news when you’re having your downtime is important to get a sense of separation from your work-life and to protect your mental health.

• Being aware of social media – again, social media is likely to delve deep into not only the news aspect of the pandemic but also the conspiracy theorists. Seeing this type of content when you’re trying to unwind is likely to frustrate you, especially when you know how much work you’re putting in to help save lives of the public. Make sure the content you’re following makes you happy, inspired and motivated.

• Switching off – whether that’s deep-diving into your favourite Netflix series, immersing yourself in a good book or enjoying some meditation or yoga, do something that makes you feel like you, and allows you to switch off.

• Keep things light-hearted – it’s likely you’ll have had to deal with a lot of negative attributes in your job during a pandemic. That’s why keeping things light-hearted, such as choosing to watch comedies over intense documentaries, may be easier for your brain to get its much-needed downtime.

The reward

Working in the NHS during any time is an undoubtedly rewarding experience. The experience of helping to diagnose, alleviate pain or cure someone of a condition or disease gives you a strong sense of purpose. That’s why knowing that you’re putting your all into helping a cause larger than most of us have had to deal with in our lifetime, such as pandemic, is extremely fulfilling. It may seem tough sometimes, and it may feel like you’re fighting a losing battle. But every life you help to save is another step closer to controlling the virus. The part our NHS workers and healthcare workers play in the healthcare system is an integral cog in the fight against the pandemic, and that in itself can be extremely rewarding.

Work with the NHS with help from Maxxima

Here at Maxxima, we pride ourselves on putting our clients and candidates first – building meaningful relationships with our candidates, removing the hassle from job searching and replacing it with a personalised and stress-free experience. If you’re interested in looking for your next job in the NHS, community or private sector our team are here to help.

We use our years of experience to connect you with the best possible job opportunities, applying genuine thought, carefully matching skillsets of candidates to clients as well as matching culture and aspirations.

To find out more, get in touch with a member of our expert team here today, or register online now.

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