As a healthcare professional, are you also tired of the usual self-development and self-care tips like mindfulness, exercise, and sleep? While undeniably important, sometimes you just need something different to spark real change. Here are five unusual but effective self-care tips for healthcare professionals’ well-being.
In the world of healthcare, where long hours, emotional intensity, and constant responsibility are part of daily life, self-care isn’t just a nice idea — it’s a professional necessity.
Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, or therapist, you likely spend most of your energy caring for others, often putting your own well-being last. Over time, this imbalance can lead to exhaustion, detachment, and even burnout. The irony? The people most attuned to recognising signs of distress in others often struggle to prioritise their own.
You’ve probably heard all the standard self-care advice before: get enough sleep, eat well, take regular exercise, practise mindfulness. And while those habits are undoubtedly beneficial, they can also start to feel repetitive, unrealistic, or simply not enough.
If the usual self-care advice just doesn’t cut it anymore for you as a healthcare professional, read on. Instead of broad lifestyle tips, we’re focusing on five unusual but effective self-care strategies that speak more directly to the reality of working in healthcare. Small shifts can make a big difference when you’re carrying a lot.
Below we’ll discuss five unusual but effective self-care tips for healthcare professionals, and how to execute them:
What self-care strategies work best for you as a healthcare professional? Please share your tips with us in the comments below.
5 Unusual but Effective Self-Care Tips for Healthcare Professionals
Let’s dive in! When your done reading, please let us know what you think of these five self-care tips for healthcare professionals. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts – or add your own go-to self-care strategies for fellow colleagues.
Self-Care Tip 1: Schedule a ‘No-Decision Block’ Each Week
Healthcare professionals make countless decisions daily—diagnoses, treatment plans, administrative tasks—all of which can lead to decision fatigue. This mental exhaustion impairs judgment and increases the likelihood of errors.
A systematic review in Family Medicine and Community Health found that decision fatigue can lead to impaired judgment, decreased diagnostic accuracy, and an increased likelihood of medical errors, all of which can negatively impact mental health and well-being.
That’s why setting aside a ‘No-Decision Block’ each week — ideally two to three hours, or even a full day if possible — can be a powerful self-care strategy. During this time, remove the need to decide. Eat pre-prepared meals, follow a set routine, wear something already laid out, let someone else pick the activity — or simply do nothing.
For healthcare professionals constantly managing risk, ambiguity, and responsibility, this simple yet effective self-help practice can restore mental clarity, reduce stress, and improve your ability to focus when it matters most. It’s a small act of self-care that can make a meaningful difference in daily life.
Self-Care Tip 2: Keep a ‘Complaint Journal’ — and Leave It There
Healthcare professionals sometimes suppress frustrations to maintain professionalism, but bottling up emotions can lead to increased stress and burnout. Keeping a ‘complaint journal’ offers a private outlet to express these feelings constructively — a simple yet powerful self-care strategy.
Set aside 15 minutes to write freely about any frustrations—no filters, no judgments. The key is to release these thoughts onto paper and then let them go. This self-help practice helps prevent rumination and promotes emotional release, supported by research.
For an even more effective way to process emotions, you can try a structured journaling method known as the Pennebaker Protocol, developed by Dr. James W. Pennebaker. This involves writing continuously for 15–20 minutes about a specific stressful event, focusing on the facts, emotions felt at the time, and any connections to other life aspects
The key is to write about the same topic or event for 3–5 consecutive days without concern for grammar or structure, allowing for unfiltered expression.
Studies have shown that this practice can reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, while also improving immune function, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing overall mental health. Additionally, expressive writing has been associated with fewer stress-related doctor visits, improved sleep quality, and better cognitive processing.
For healthcare professionals, this self-care tip can be a valuable tool for managing the emotional demands of the job, fostering resilience, mental clarity, and overall well-being.
Self-Care Tip 3: Create a ‘No-Clinical-Talk’ Pact with One Friend
Healthcare professionals may find their personal conversations dominated by work-related topics, which can lead to emotional exhaustion and hinder the ability to disconnect from the demands of their profession.
Establishing a ‘No-Clinical-Talk’ pact with a trusted friend is a practical self-care strategy that creates a deliberate space for conversations unrelated to work. It can support a healthier work-life balance and improved well-being among healthcare professionals.
By designating specific times or settings where clinical discussions are off-limits, individuals can explore other facets of their identity — such as hobbies, personal interests, or family life. This self-care advice not only helps reduce stress but also promotes diverse social interactions that support emotional health.
Research indicates that maintaining clear boundaries between professional and personal life is essential for preserving mental health, preventing burnout, and improving job satisfaction.
For healthcare professionals regularly exposed to high-stress environments, this simple yet effective self-help tip can be a valuable tool for emotional rejuvenation and long-term career sustainability.
Self-Care Tip 4: Write a ‘Done List’ Instead of a To-Do List
Traditional to-do lists can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for healthcare professionals juggling numerous responsibilities. An alternative self-care strategy is maintaining a ‘done list’, where you record tasks you’ve completed throughout the day.
This self-help practice shifts focus from pending obligations to accomplishments, fostering a sense of progress and supporting mental health by boosting morale.
Research supports the psychological benefits of acknowledging completed tasks. In The Progress Principle, Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer highlight that recognising small wins can significantly enhance motivation and engagement. Their analysis of nearly 12,000 diary entries from 238 employees across seven companies revealed that even minor progress in meaningful work can lead to positive emotions, increased motivation, and greater commitment to the task at hand.
For healthcare professionals, who often face unpredictable challenges and tasks, a ‘done list’ can serve as a reflective tool — a form of self-care advice that highlights adaptability, builds resilience, and contributes to everyday well-being by celebrating small accomplishments.
Self-Care Tip 5: Leave Yourself a Voice Note
It is essential for healthcare professionals to find an effective self-care strategy for processing emotions and experiences as part of their regular routine. Recording voice notes offers a spontaneous and accessible method to articulate thoughts and feelings.
Unlike traditional journaling, speaking aloud can capture the nuances of tone and emotion, providing a more immediate outlet for stress relief and supporting overall mental health.
Research supports the benefits of audio journaling. A study published in BMC Public Health explored the use of audio diaries. Participants found them to be a practical and accessible way to capture their experiences, facilitating self-reflection and enhancing self-awareness — key elements of any sustainable self-help practice.
For healthcare professionals, integrating voice notes into a personal self-care routine can serve as a valuable form of self-care, helping to manage the emotional demands of the job. By verbalising experiences, individuals can foster resilience, gain perspective, and enhance their overall well-being.
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