2023

14 DAY
SELF-CARE
CHALLENGE

14 caring
days offorcommitment
yourself. to
Written by Dr Liz Crowe
Staff Wellbeing Consultant, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital | Designed by Kelly Welsh
Funded and supported with thanks by Gillian Nasato, Team Royal and the RBWH Foundation
WELCOME to the 14 day
self-care CHALLENGE
The best way for you to be a fantastic human, a
compassionate and skilled healthcare
professional, a loving partner, parent, friend,
sibling or child is for you to invest in your own
self-care. So many people report feeling fatigued
and worn down by the local and global events of
the past three years. In 2023 I encourage you to
focus on self-care, renewal, and re-energising.
I hope that investing in yourself over the next 14
days will be a positive start to a longer-term
commitment to your own wellbeing.
Those who work in health are committed to the
wellbeing of others. The intention of this booklet
is to prompt intentional changes and activities to
nurture and care for yourself. To mindfully
choose how you spend your time outside of
work, to metaphorically fill your own cup. Self-
care is important every day. With each activity
over the next 14 days, I encourage you to explore
what you find interesting and helpful, and
equally discover what may not be for you.
While it is fantastic to engage in 14 days of self-
care, it is far more important to build small habits
of self-care that are sustainable all year around.
There is nothing compulsory in self-care. View
the next two weeks as a commitment to self-
care, rather than being limited by the activities
on offer.
A key driver to the success of self-care is doing
activities and tasks with others. Science shows
that we are more likely to be successful in our
endeavours of self-care if we make a
commitment to participate with others.
So, grab some colleagues, friends or family
members to join you on your self-care journey
and have fun putting yourself first for a change!
If participating in this challenge raises any issues
for you, please reach out to the staff wellbeing
services within your workplace so you can access
the support you need.
Dr Liz Crowe
 SELF CARE:
The process of building in, and proactively protecting time to
address your ‘whole’ needs as a human. This includes your
physical, social, psychological, environmental, recreational,
spiritual, and emotional selves. A time of nurture, observing,
and responding to the things that heal.

The research suggests that individuals who prioritise and

engage in regular self-care are more likely to report self-
confidence, increased productivity and creativity, and find it
easier to build strong relationships and experience more joy.
Self-care is a worthwhile investment!

self-care pledge
I promise for the next 14 days I will focus on being
compassionate and kind to myself. I will not be
critical of my thoughts or my body or my actions.
I will treat myself how I would treat a good friend.
I will be compassionate with myself and recognise
that I am doing the best I can with the resources
I have. I am a constant work in progress.
I deserve self-care for the next 14 days because

I am worth it. I matter. I am enough.

~1~
 “
"THE SECRET OF HEALTH
FOR BOTH MIND AND
BODY IS NOT TO MOURN
FOR THE PAST, NOR TO
WORRY ABOUT THE
FUTURE, BUT TO LIVE
THE PRESENT MOMENT
WISELY AND
EARNESTLY."

-BUDDHA-

~2~
 Day One - Monday 13 February

SELF-AWARENESS
leads to self-care
Without self-awareness there can be no self-care.
Self-awareness is fundamental to building a strong self-care plan and interventions that
are sustainable, whatever the working week brings for healthcare professionals.

Self-care is not selfish, nor is it negotiable. Those who work in hospitals have
demonstrated enormous endurance and resilience during the pandemic. The pressure of
working in health is ongoing, with busy workloads and an ever-changing healthcare
system. However, neglect of self-care is not a long-term option. Health care professionals
and those in caring roles have an ethical obligation to engage in
self-care to ensure they are offering the most skilled and
present care available to patients and their families CREATIVITY
(Richards et., al, 2010).

Understanding who you are and what you need N A TU R E PHYSICAL

leads to the building blocks of self-care.

S LEEP NUTRITION BELONGING

Challenge:
Building the essential blocks of self-care.

Please look at the questions below and honestly answer what you need to look after your
physical, social, psychological, environmental, recreational, spiritual and emotional self.
What are the non-negotiables of self-care for you?

Sleep:
How much sleep do I need?
How often do I get enough sleep?
What are the barriers to me going to bed on time?
Can I do anything to protect my sleep and rest time eg. less screen time,
procrastination, ask others in the house to help with chores and tasks?
~3~
 Nutrition:
How often do I need to eat?
When am I most inclined to eat the wrong sorts of food?
Is there anything I could do to improve the way I eat and the times I eat?

Accommodation:
Do I like where I live?
Am I surrounded by clutter and disorganisation?
What can I do to make home surroundings more pleasant? Eg. light, plants, tidy, hang pictures.
Do I like my workspace?
Is there anything I can do to improve noise pollution?

Nature:
How much time do I spend outside with no other purpose than to observe and be in awe?
What could I do to increase the amount of time I spend in natural air and light?
How often do I visit the ocean or bury my feet in the mud/sand?
Could this time be increased?

Space:
How much of my week is currently unoccupied, providing space to rest or potter or be
spontaneous?
What are the things I could do to ensure there is 30 minutes every week to just ‘be’?

Belonging:
How often do I spend time with people I really like and enjoy their company?
How often do I spend time with people I feel obligated to spend time with?
How often are you in the company of people who make you laugh and feel good about yourself?

Movement:
How often do you move your body actively eg. walk, dance, gym?
How could you create more time so that you could become more active?

Creativity:
What activities do you love to do and are no longer engaged in? (eg. music, singing, drawing)
How often in your week do you have the opportunity to be creative?
How could you invite creativity, music and the arts back into your life?

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Wherever you are employed, grab some colleagues and organise a walk after work!
RBWH Walking Group: Departs 5pm, Wellbeing Office, Ground Floor, Ned Hanlon Building.
6 kms at your own pace. Contact Liz.Crowe@health.qld.gov.au for more information.
~4~
 Day Two - Tuesday 14 February

SELF-LOVE

"How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you"
- Rupi Kaur -

Philautia (pronounced Phee-lav-tee-ah) Love is the Greek word to describe self-love.

Self-love is a healthy form of love where an individual attends to their personal needs,
recognises their self-worth, does not base the belief of their self-love on what anyone else
thinks or says and prioritises and takes responsibility for personal wellbeing. Accepting and
loving who you are without seeking the approval of others demands the greatest courage,
wisdom, and self-knowledge and for most of us is a constant work in progress.

Self-care is a form of self-love and self-compassion. Valentine’s Day

should be a celebration of all love, including self-love.

This Valentine’s Day there are three activities to engage in!

Challenge number one:

Many people can quickly construct a list of their flaws and failings however would struggle to
write one or two words of admiration or respect for themself. This Valentine’s Day you are
encouraged to go 24 hours without any self-criticism or self-negative talk.
To spend a whole day in self-compassion and self-love. This may be challenging but try to
treat yourself as a friend for just one day. When negative ruminations rise up, what is it like to
treat that voice with gentle compassion?

Challenge number two:

Spend a few minutes exploring your love language. The way we express love and the way we
receive love can be quite different. Understanding the different way you may express and
receive love can be critical to the success of relationships with yourself and others. Take this
quick five-minute survey to learn more about your personal love language:

The Love Language Quiz

~5~
Challenge number three:

Whether you are single or in a relationship, try turning your

love inwards and create a fun date for yourself this week. An
extravagant date may
not be possible due to shift work, children, time, or finances,
however, a small date with yourself is always possible.
Use your imagination!

You could have a long bath, do a pedicure on yourself,

cook yourself a delicious meal (don’t forget to light a candle
and set the table) or watch a romantic comedy.

For the people who have more time and resources, choose your own
adventure! Take yourself on a more organised date. Go rock climbing or to
a salsa dance class. Rather than buy yourself a bunch of flowers, go to your
local nursery and buy yourself a beautiful plant that will brighten your
room or office. If you are single and have other single friends, buy them a
card or give them flowers and let them know what their friendship means
to you and what you love about them. Love and dates should not be just
for Valentine’s Day, they should be a regular investment in our
relationship with self and others. We should schedule a fun
catch up with our parents, have dates with friends and kids
and most importantly create a minimum monthly
date with ourselves spending some precious
time doing something we WANT to do rather
than something we feel we HAVE to do.

"Loving yourself isn’t vanity, it is sanity"

- Katrina Mayer -

"Love yourself so much that when someone treats you

wrong, you recognise it"
- Rena Rose -

~6~
 Day Three - Wednesday 15 February

THE POWER OF
habit
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an
act but a habit"
- William Durant philosopher 1926 -

The greatest pathway to routine self-care is HABIT! It is estimated that 43 percent of our
daily behaviours are controlled by habit (good and bad) rather than active thought.
Our brains are lazy and are primed to continually default to behaviours that never rise to a
level of conscious experience, repeat behaviours and actions. In the book ‘The Power of the
Habit’ by Charles Duhigg he explains that ‘habits’ are mental shortcuts that assist our brains
to go into autopilot and seemingly make our lives easier. This is why trying to ‘break a habit’
is so hard.

Habits are a three-part cycle - one: cue, two: behaviour and three: reward, even if that reward
is short-lived. This is why we like to follow routines (morning coffee) or park in the same place
each day. We cannot easily ‘break’ a habit, we must intentionally CHANGE a habit. Changing
a habit can be challenging, it must be active and deliberate. Neuroscience suggests that
when we are hungry, tired, angry, or stressed our brains are easily distracted, making us far
more likely to fall back on old and comfortable habits, such as the 3pm sugar hit. If the mind is
preoccupied with stress or fatigue then our unconscious mind and habits have greater
control of our actions (cue pulling in for fast food after a long shift). If you want to eat better
after night duty you may need to drive a different way home to avoid the temptation and
have some healthy meals ready to go in the fridge when you walk through the door.
The more cues we give our brain the greater the chance of success. An example may be
leaving your gym clothes and shoes packed and ready at the end of your bed for when you
wake up in the morning. Doing this the night before reduces the decisions required the next
day on what to wear and the type of exercise you plan to engage in. Another example may
be if you are trying to have less screen time, delete the apps from your phone and charge
your phone in a room separate to your bedroom (you will still hear the alarm!).

~7~
Habits are hard-wired into our brains and we need to create change to develop new habits.
Research reports vary when it comes to how long it takes to develop a new habit with results
reporting between 59 to 91 days. Habits simplify decision making to make it easy for the
brain to change.

Challenge:
Take a moment to reflect on the ‘bad’ habits you have when you have
a really hard day at work.
After a long shift are you more likely to eat junk food? Drink alcohol?
Lie in front of a screen or be grumpy? What sorts of things do you
engage in to ‘ease the pain’ of a hard day? Are they good or bad
habits?
If there are habits you would like to change, what could you alter
about your environment or routine to cue your brain to a different
reward?

The Power of Habit by Christy Baroni Christy Baroni: The Power of Habit | TED Talk

A habit I would like to change in 2023 is:

The change I will create to make this change is:

A good habit I will reinforce in 2023 is:

~8~
 Day Four - Thursday 16 February

Breathe

"Breathe deeply, until sweet air extinguishes the burn of

fear in your lungs and every breath is a beautiful refusal to
become anything less than infinite"
- D. Antoinette Foy -

Breath gives life. Breath also has deep healing powers in calming the mind and body
and there is real evidence to prove it. We all have times in our personal and professional
lives where we are overwhelmed, fatigued and sad. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing has
been proven to make a significant, free, and often immediate difference to individuals. A
2021 literature review found that taking 10 deep voluntary breaths from the diaphragm
for 10 minutes twice a day can assist with reducing heart rate, reducing anxiety and
creating a sense of relaxation (Ka-Yin Yau & Loke, 2021).

Deep and slow breathing has also been shown to assist people to process and cope more
effectively with pain and reduce negative feelings of tension, anger, and depression
(Jerath et al, 2015, Busch et al, 2012). Deep breathing has also been attributed to
improving emotional regulation, attention, and performance (Broderick, 2021).

It seems so easy and yet few of us engage in this immediate response so

readily available to us. Just take a moment now to notice your breath.
When you breath do your shoulders rise? Does your chest expand?
Are you breathing just from your chest or deep into your diaphragm?
~9~
 Next time you feel anxiety rising I encourage you to breathe into your anxiety.
It will not change your situation, nor will it solve all your problems, however it may give
you a moment to feel differently about what is happening around you and how you may
respond. We should all have time to breathe!

YouTube TEDx TALK | Breath; five minutes can change your life - Stacey Schuerman

YouTube TEDx TALK | Breathe to Heal - Max Strom

Challenge:
YouTube | 5 Minute Deep Breathing Exercise - City of Hope

INHALE

EXHALE

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Wherever you are employed, grab some colleagues and organise a walk after work!
RBWH Walking Group: Departs 5pm, Wellbeing Office, Ground Floor, Ned Hanlon Building. 6 kms at
your own pace. Contact Liz.Crowe@health.qld.gov.au for more information.
~ 10 ~
 Day Five - Friday 17 February

SELF-FORGIVENESS DAY
I owe myself an apology
For all of the times
I tore myself apart.
When I neglected my own needs
Lowered my standards
Berated myself
And put myself down.

For the self-sabotage

I continually inflicted upon myself
And the times when I apologised
For being who I was
And expressing myself authentically.

And I owe myself

The permission to start anew.

To forgive myself
For the battles I fought
That weren’t mine to fight.
For all of the love
That I failed to give myself.
And for the times when I failed to realise
That rather than being broken
I was worthy of value, respect
And beautiful, brilliant things in life.

And that how I treated myself

Dictated how others would view me
And in turn, behave towards me.

So, by showering myself

With love, kindness, forgiveness, and respect
In turn, I could pave the way
For others to do the same.
— Tahlia Hunter

Have you ever made a mistake, big or small, that even years later continues to stay with
you, rearing its ugly head when you least expect it? Our ability to hold on to shame, guilt
and embarrassment is interesting considering how easy we can often dismiss praise and
ignore a compliment.
~ 11 ~
Individuals are often very generous when it comes to forgiving others however can find it
very challenging to forgive themselves. Obsessing and stressing over past errors has
never changed a situation, in many ways this cyclical repetitive thinking frequently
makes the situation worse for all involved. Harbouring anger and shame towards yourself
can hurt current and future relationships. When your mind is preoccupied with negative
thoughts it can influence productivity and healthy engagement. Rumination of negative
thoughts can contribute to the development of depression and anxiety. Self-forgiveness
is important to your personal wellbeing. Self-forgiveness still involves taking responsibility
for our actions, it just asks that we approach that responsibility and remorse with
compassion for self. Be mindful that we sometimes hold ourselves infinitely responsible
for something that was entirely beyond our control.

forgiveness
A parable on

Two monks are walking down the road.
They arrive at a muddy stream crossing,
and a well-dressed woman declares
without introduction, “Don’t just stand
there. Someone carry me across this
mess."
Without pause, the older monk lifts her
across. She says nothing, not even a thank
you.
The two monks walk all day. The whole
time, the younger one stews in his mind.
How could he pick her up? We’re not supposed to
touch women, or even talk to them. And she was
so rude, someone should say something to her, she
didn’t deserve our help.
Finally, arriving at the inn for dinner, he can’t
hold himself back. “What were you thinking?” he
asks his friend. “She was nasty, and you broke
the rules, and she didn’t even say thank you.”
The older monk smiles gently and replies, “Wow,
I put that woman down hours ago, but you’ve
been carrying her all this time!”

Challenge:
Take a moment to reflect if there is an event or memory that continues to create a shame or
guilt response for you days, weeks, or years after it occurred. Be curious about this event and
why it remains so triggering. Then spend some time imagining what it might be like not to
carry this heavy weight around with you every day. What would it take to move towards a
place of self-forgiveness? If you genuinely did make a mistake, deliberate or unintentional,
what might help the healing? Do you need to seek forgiveness from someone else so you can
than forgive yourself? Whether you need to seek forgiveness and compassion from yourself
or someone else, writing a letter can be helpful. If there is no way to engage with the other
person/people you can practice a self-forgiveness meditation.
~ 12 ~
Here is an example:

“I recognise or I perceive that I have done wrong. I also recognise that I

am a human, and to be human is to be flawed and imperfect at times.
No matter how hard I strive, I am not and will never be perfect.
My actions (or my words) have caused someone/me to be hurt. I take full
responsibility for my actions, and I will take the steps necessary to rectify
my wrongdoings. If the relationship has been destroyed beyond repair,
I will accept the consequences and work hard to keep similar actions from
happening again. I will not continue to cause harm to myself or anyone else
for this mistake. I will, however, make a conscious effort to gain skills and
insights in an attempt not to make this mistake again in the future."

This week the RBWH Five Things Podcast speaks about self-
forgiveness with Dr Stan Steindl, an Adjunct Associate
Professor in the School of Psychology at The University of
Queensland. Dr Steindl has expertise on the subject of
compassion and self-compassion and is the author of the book
The Gifts of Compassion: How to understand and overcome
suffering.

In this episode Dr Steindl discusses with Liz and Jesse;

1. What forgiveness is and isn’t.
2. Understanding self-forgiveness as an act of self-compassion.
3. How we can begin to forgive ourselves.
4. Self-forgiveness as letting go of blame and resentment.
5. How to move forward and make a
commitment of self-forgiveness.

5 Things Nursing Podcast

by RBWH on Apple Podcasts

~ 13 ~
 Day Six - Saturday 18 February

Creativity
AND Wellbeing
"There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity,
there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns."
– Edward de Bono

At school most of us spent time ‘creating’ through building, drawing, painting, manual arts,
singing, writing stories and poetry, attempting different areas of the arts, theatre and music.
Then we finish school, and it abruptly stops. A lot of people say ‘I am not a creative person’
however this is not true. We are all creative and capable of creativity if we use our imagination.

The Oxford Dictionary defines creativity as “the use of the imagination or original ideas to
create something: inventiveness”. However, creativity can have a far broader reach. It can
involve artistic practices and/or innovations in problem solving, lateral thinking, and finding
solutions to complex situations.

Creativity does not have to result in an outcome or a product; creativity can be how we see
and engage with the world. It involves adaptive behaviour that emerges in response to
interruptions to previously successful routines and habits (Joas, 1996).
Every person who worked in the health care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic has been
creative to survive a change or solve a problem!

Creativity has been long recognised as a quality essential to human development and is a vital
component of a healthy and happy life (Kiernan et al, 2020). Creativity pushes civilisation
forward through scientific, technological and social developments and is something we all
possess at varying levels (Acar et al, 2020).

"Creativity is seeing something that doesn’t exist already. You need to find out
how you can bring it into being."
- Michele Shea -

~ 14 ~
Challenge:
In the next week take some time to engage in creativity thinking or creativity activities.
Some suggestions: play with Lego or blocks, imagine if you could open any sort of business
and it didn’t have to make money - what would that business be? Go to a sip and paint night
with friends, take out a notebook and write a poem or song lyrics, dust off your violin that has
been in the cupboard for years and play something!

~ 15 ~
 Day Seven - Sunday 19 February

THE HEALING POWER

OF n a t u r e

"I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order."

- John Burroughs -

Spending time in a green space or outside (whether that is a local park, the beach or even
tending to your pot plants) has been shown to improve mental health. Studies repeatedly
demonstrate that those who engage with nature show improvements in their general mental
health including positive improvements with mood, concentration, a feeling of restoration and
wellbeing and decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression (Lackey et al, 2019).
There is some evidence that while being outside in nature has an immediate effect on
wellbeing, individuals who actually stop and take NOTICE of what they are seeing and connect
with nature have an increased dose in the goodness that nature provides our mental health.
Increasing our connectedness to nature means slowing down when we are outside and staying
present in the moment. The literature suggests lying on the grass, listening intently to the
birdsong, feeling the algae on the trees, and consciously noticing and appreciating the wonder
of nature all increases our nature connection. The stronger the connection with nature, the
greater the benefits to our mental health (UK Mental Health Foundation).
Being with nature and not just in nature increases people’s sense of perspective of the world,
creates a mental and emotional sanctuary and immerses people in the moment, helping to
create a sense of calm (Brymer et al, 2020).

Caring for our wellbeing by being connected to nature is a free and often immediate antidote
we can all access when life is feeling rushed and overwhelming. Nature is also the perfect
backdrop to engage in deep breathing, mindfulness, and gratitude.

~ 16 ~
 "A WALK IN THE WOODS WALKS
THE SOUL BACK HOME."
“
-MARY DAVIS-

Challenge:
Take a moment to reflect on what part of nature most captivates your energy and attention?
Is it the constant dynamic movement of the clouds in the sky? Is it the power of the waves in
the ocean? Watching bees buzz around flowers, or the enormity of trees?

Write down the thing in nature that creates the most awe for you:

When was the last time you prioritised spending time in your awe space in nature?

What are the barriers to getting to your awe space?

Make a commitment and a deadline for when you will return to this space.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
If you reside in Brisbane, meet at the Goodwill Bridge (The Ship Inn
side) at 7am on Sunday the 19th of February. We will walk around the
Brisbane River taking in the views and the birdsong and wildlife.
We can then eat breakfast together and start the week with nature
and connection to others. Email Liz.Crowe@health.qld.gov.au if you
intend to come and then if there is wet weather we can stay in touch!
~ 17 ~
 Day Eight - Monday 20 February

CHOOSING WITH INTENTION

"What you don’t do determines what you can do."

– Tim Ferriss

Within the busyness of life, we can find ourselves saying yes to things we don’t want to do and
no to things that would bring us contentment and pleasure. How often do you find yourself
agreeing to tasks you have no time for, or activities you feel you SHOULD attend rather than
saying yes because it sounds fun or interesting? On your days off (be it the weekend or any
other days) how many times did you compromise what you needed because you felt you HAD
to do something else? If your intention is to start prioritising your own wellbeing this year then
it is incredibly important that you start saying yes and no to people, events and activities with
a clarity of what it is you need to do to nurture yourself.
This is particularly important if you have children. Children do not need to attend every party,
every sleepover, every extracurricular activity to be assured of confidence and wellbeing.
What children need most is present parents who have energy to engage, talk and play with
them and who are not so exhausted all of the time that yelling is their default.
Sometimes less is more – for all of us!

If you find it really hard to say no to others or things, create a framework for yourself.
For example: If I say yes to this, what will be the consequences to my time, energy, finances
and my organisation and life administration. Is this something I really want to do or something I
feel guilted into doing? If I say no to this – what are the consequences to my time, energy,
finances and my organisation and life administration?

Of course, in order to be good and kind people who participate in the community and with our
friends and families there are times when we really should say yes or no even when we don’t
want to, however, it should not be to the detriment of self and everyone around us as we
spend the next three days trying to catch up on life.

Remember every single time we say YES to something we are saying NO to something else.
Every single time we say NO to something we are saying YES to something else. Be brave
enough to choose what you need to do for your own wellbeing. Choose wisely.
~ 18 ~
Mia Freedman, successful co-founder of the Mamamia Women’s Media Company provides
wise words of advice. “Instead of saying ‘I can’t’, I say, ‘I don’t’. It sounds really subtle but it’s
really important. I have important rules like: I don’t do lunches during the week; I don’t do
charity engagements on the weekend”. Mia Freedman says that having these strict rules takes
the ‘Should I? Should I not? Out of the equation.

YouTube | The Power of Saying No - Tony Robbins

Challenge:
Think of something in your life you really need or want to do.
Think of something in your life you repeatedly do, even though it brings no joy or outcome
that is useful.
What is one thing you could say NO to in your life, in order to say YES to something else?
Practice saying “sorry I don’t” rather than “sorry I can’t”.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Wherever you are employed, grab some colleagues and organise a walk
after work! RBWH Walking Group: Departs 5pm, Wellbeing Office,
Ground Floor, Ned Hanlon Building. 6 kms at your own pace.
Contact Liz.Crowe@health.qld.gov.au for more information.
~ 19 ~
 Day Nine - Tuesday 21 February

PERSONAL HEALTH
"Do as I say, not as I do."
– John Seldon (1654)

Physical health is only one component to wellbeing and self-care, yet it is an important one.
Those who care for others have long been known to neglect their own needs. Everyone should
have a general practitioner, even if you are a medical doctor! Going to see a GP annually as part of
your own self-care is important for preventative health (immunisation, tests, education, pap
smears, mole checks and mental health) and advice on all aspects of your health (RACGP).
Most importantly, when you have a relationship with a GP if anything changes with your mental or
physical health you will have an established relationship with them and can have a confidential
conversation and seek support. Important things to discuss with your GP include (this list is not
exclusive):
Mental health, diet, physical activity, skin checks, weight, immunisations, alcohol consumption,
smoking, sexual activity, and routine screening such as pap smears (for people with a cervix).
People over the age of 50 years need to see their GP each year and have blood pressure, and
cholesterol checks for heart health and test for diabetes.
As we age, screening for breast, cervical, bowel, skin and prostate cancer are also important.

Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)

Dental heath, including healthy teeth, mouth and gums are also important for self-care, general
health, and wellbeing. It is recommended that individuals see a dentist every six months for a clean
and check-up and two years is the longest interval people should leave between dental visits.

Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association | The voice of public healthcare (ahha.asn.au)

Atul Gawande in his wonderful book ‘Being Mortal’ advises to ‘always examine the feet’ as people
age. This is because foot disorders in older adults are associated with falls, ulcers, and pain.
The older we get the more difficult it can be to even do simple tasks such as cutting toenails.
(James et al, 2021). A fall can end independence.
WELLBEING IS THE INTEGRATION OF
BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT.
Challenge:
If you haven’t seen your GP in the past 12 months, please book an appointment to
see them even if it is to re-establish a relationship and make sure you are up to date
with all your physical checks and to establish a baseline for your mental health.
Please book into see a dentist if it is longer than six months.
If you are aging, get your feet checked! If you have older parents or grandparents
encourage them to do the same.

~ 20 ~
 Courage
Day Ten - Wednesday 22 February

"It’s a courageous act to just be with whatever is happening at the moment – all
of it, the difficult as well as the wonderful."
- Eileen Fisher -

courage
noun /ˈkʌrɪdʒ/
strength in the face of pain or grief

The word courage is derived from the word corage meaning 'heart or the seat of emotions'.
In Latin, Italian and Spanish ‘cor’ means the heart or the core. It has been said that courage is
the rage or strength of the heart.

True self-care does not always involve meditation and a bath, sometimes self-care involves
great courage and inner strength to acknowledge that something in our lives is not working
well for us and causing harm.

There are several ways in which self-care and courage are strongly interwoven.
In a world that operates at a crazy pace having the courage to SLOW DOWN.
Having the courage to say I NEED HELP.
It takes courage to LISTEN and BELIEVE in yourself. "COURA GE IS NOT THE
It takes courage to put yourself FIRST.
A B SE N C E O F FE A
R,
It takes courage to believe things can CHANGE.
BU T TH E TR IUM PH OV ER IT"
Challenge: – NELSON MANDELA

Think about something that you want to change. Ask yourself what it would be like to meet
yourself in five years’ time and find that nothing has changed. What frightens you most?
The change or not changing? What do you need to have courage for? Do you need help with this
issue? Please reach out to family and friends, colleagues, your GP or mental health professional
or the wellbeing person within your Hospital and Health Service to take the next step.
~ 21 ~
Day Eleven - Thursday 23 February

I GET BY WITH a little help

from my friends
"A real friend is one who walks in when the
rest of the world walks out."
– Walter Winchell

Our colleagues and friends have a profound impact on our wellbeing and levels of self-care.
Quality friendships enrich our lives and improve all aspects of our physical and mental health.
The number and quality of friends in our lives has a direct positive correlation on our subjective
wellbeing. Research has shown that doubling the number of quality friends you see face-to-
face has the equivalent effect on your wellbeing as having a 50 per cent increase in your
personal income! (Helliwell & Huang, 2013). Friendships are one of THE most important
determinants to wellbeing. Some of the many positive benefits of friendships are an increased
sense of belonging and purpose, reduction in stress and increase in happiness, improved self-
confidence and self-worth, increased ability to cope with personal crisis and adversity,
reduced incidence in depression and stress levels, and a longer lifespan (Mayo Clinic).
Our behaviours and habits spread socially with research demonstrating that your friends will
influence how much you exercise, how much and what you eat, your alcohol consumption and
your weight.

The Power of Peers | NIH News in Health

When it comes to friendship you need to seek people you can trust and be your true authentic
self. The quality of friendship is far more important than the quantity of friendships.
Interestingly, the research demonstrates that friendships experienced only online do not offer
the protective factors to mental health and wellbeing as friendships that are experienced
face-to-face (van der Horst & Coffee, 2012). Large social media networks of ‘friends’ are often
more ‘peripheral others’ rather than friends, with millennials reporting higher levels of
loneliness when compared to other generations.

Study Says Friendship Quality Is Better Than Quantity For Wellbeing

~ 22 ~
 "A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when
my memory fails."
- Donna Roberts -

Seligman (2011) found that people are the best antidotes we have to face the challenges of
life. Our peers are essential to help us validate and normalise our reactions to the things we see
in our daily lives as health professionals. There is very strong evidence that demonstrates the
important role our work colleagues play in our ability to cope at work and make sense of the
work we do in health. Strong relationships at work mediate the effects of occupational stress
and burnout and increase the chance for post-traumatic growth (Crowe, 2022).
Our colleagues help us make sense and understanding of what we bear witness to at work
through the sharing of experiences and information (Sloan, 2017).

“Its not how many friends you have that counts,

but how many friends you can count on”.
Challenge:
In the next two weeks, find time to be with your closest friends face-to-face.
Go for a walk, have dinner and laugh until your drink comes through your nose, kick a football,
organise a play in the park with your kids, organise a Zoom dinner party if necessary.
It doesn’t matter what you do, just be with your besties!

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Walking group will not happen today.
For those of you in Brisbane come to the RBWH for one hour of
BOOGIE WONDERLAND with one of our fantastic and generous
anaesthetists ROM who is also a great DJ and dance away your
troubles!

Where: RBWH Education Centre

When: Thursday 23 February | 5pm - 6pm
Costumes optional!
~ 23 ~
 DayTwelve
Day Twelve--Friday
Friday24
24February
February

finding the
STRESS: sweet spot

"To achieve great things, two things are needed, a plan, and not quite enough time."

- Leonard Bernstein -

We all know that too much stress is bad for us, and chronic long-term stress can have terrible
consequences on our health and mental health. However, did you know that stress in just the
right quantity can be good for us? The critical factor with stress is understanding how it
impacts you and knowing when it is good, tolerable, harmful and what your triggers are.
Stress is very subjective rather than objective and is dependent on experience, capacity, and
personality. Stress can also be cumulative and is capable of infiltrating all aspects of our lives.
Not enough stress – people report a lack of energy and boredom and too much stress –
people struggle to cope. So where is the sweet spot?
Delphis Pressure Performance Stress Curve
The Boreout Zone is when someone
has no motivating force or reason to
do anything, there is zero challenge
or direction in the workplace (Rothlin
and Werder, 2007). Boreout can
cause anxiety and cynicism as well as
stress.

The Stress Sweet Spot sits between

the comfort-stretch-strain zone. A
moderate amount of stress can be
motivating.

The Comfort Zone allows people to perform, however people should not be encouraged to stay
in this zone as they are at risk of complacency and boredom.
~ 24 ~
The Stretch Zone: Stretch is a degree of challenge that slightly exceeds your skill and sense of
mastery and makes you alert and mildly nervous. It is critical to experience times of stretch
because this is where peak performance and growth occurs. The Yerkes-Dodson Law reports
on the relationship between stress and task performance which occurs in the ‘stretch’ zone.
There are predictable physiological changes to the body in this phase: adrenaline will rise
elevating blood pressure and heart rate, mobilisation of glucose for energy, increase in sweat,
blood flow diverted to the muscles raising respiration rates and a rise in cortisol. This response
is natural (Orr, 2022). The body needs to unwind and relax in between these times.

The Strain Zone: occurs when you have been a stretch zone for too long with no time to
recover. When the pressure is too high or too prolonged performance starts to decline.

The Delusion Zone: occurs when we become blinded by the stress and the task and can no
longer see ourselves or our team as important. In this phase we delude ourselves that if we just
work harder, we will succeed. (Delphis.org.uk)

"Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the

but from wanting to control it." - Kahil Gibranfuture,
Challenge:
Take some time to identify where you may fall in the stress zone.
Can you identify what takes you out of stretch and into strain, burnout, and delusion?
It is important to identify stress from our personal lives and stress from our professional lives
as they can merge and become combined and cumulative.

Today Liz and Jess interview Professor Rob Orr, who is the Director of the Tactical
Research Unit at Bond University. Rob’s role is to provide research, consultancy
and education to the military, law enforcement and protective services and is now
working with hospital teams. Rob has served the Australian Army since 1989.
His research is incredible, and he is definitely someone you would want to be with during an
apocalypse! In this episode Rob explains:
1. Not all stress is bad.
2. Your body and personality are naturally affected by stress, learn
your personal “tells” on how you manifest stressors.
3. The relationship between stress and performance is task specific.
4. Long term stress has health and psychological consequences,
coping mechanisms can only get you so far.
5. There are basic things we can do to manage acute stress –
physiologically such as controlled breathing techniques and
psychologically such as message framing.

5 Things Nursing Podcast by RBWH on Apple Podcasts

~ 25 ~
 Day Thirteen - Saturday 25 February

"The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size."
- Albert Einstein -

Curiosity: The pursuit, and exploration of the novel, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, a
state of active interest that increases the potential for learning. (Oxford Review)

Professor Todd Kashdan states that curiosity is the ingredient to a fulfilling life. Kashdans’
research highlights how developing a strong sense of curiosity about people and the world
can assist us to take the perspective of others, build empathy and understanding as well as
create a joyous exploration and wonder for the world (Kashdan, 2018). Curiosity keeps the
brain primed for learning and enhances our brain’s potential to remember what we have
learned long-term (Gruber et al, 2014). Curiosity influences our opportunity for personal
growth and the level of intimacy we create with new and existing relationships (Kashdan et al,
2004). Kashdan’s research states that when we meet others, we should ask questions that
genuinely peak our curiosity about others, which creates trust and an intimacy with others.

Suggested questions:
“For what in your life do you feel most grateful for?”
“If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else what would
you want to know?”
“When was the last time you walked for more than an hour? Describe where you went and what you saw?”
“What is the best TV show you have ever seen and why?”
“What is the most memorable dream you have ever had and why?”
What is the most important quality to you in another person right now?”
“If money was not an issue, what personal passion project would you explore?”
What was the highest point and the lowest point of your day today?”
“If you had to pick any character in a book, movie, or TV show who is most similar to you who would it be?”

~ 26 ~
Curiosity builds connection between people and between people and the world.
Curiosity ensures your mind is never passive and is observant to new ideas which opens up
new possibilities for today and the future. To be curious we need to constantly ask questions
of ourselves and the world and see the world as a place of fun and adventure where learning
will never cease.

"Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your

creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world, its
your life. Go on and do all you can with it and make it the
life you want to live."
- Mae Jemison -

Challenge:
This week you are challenged to engage in two types of curiosity – people and nature.

People - in the lunchroom or at a dinner party engage in the above questions, don’t
interrupt just listen. You may be very surprised what you learn. There are several websites and
games that also offer fantastic questions to ask of strangers and people we know well.
Children of all ages also enjoy this activity.

Pick a point of interest in the world that you would love to know more about.
Example – what is a black hole? Do fish sleep? Why are flamingos pink in colour? What species
of whale can turn their heads like humans? Take a few minutes to explore this topic and if the
answer excites you keep learning and share it with others.

~ 27 ~
Rest
Day Fourteen - Sunday 26 February

"Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it
allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel."
- Eleanor Brown -

American Professor Brene Brown says 'crazy busy’ is a great armour and a great way to numb. What a
lot of us do is stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we’re feeling and what
we really need can’t catch up with us. In a world that is constantly messaging for us to RUN, keep
moving, keep thriving, keep comparing, keep your phone open and on so you don’t miss anything, lose
anything, it can be very hard to feel that it is safe to stop and rest.

Our bodies and our mind need space to recover and rejuvenate. Whether you are an elite athlete or
just someone who exercises regularly, everyone benefits from a rest day. Rest days give the body a
chance to remove excess lactate from the muscles and decrease muscle pain and soreness and
replenish body energy stores.

Rest days: Why they are important, benefits, and when to take one

Equally, if you are in job where you are sitting in front of a screen all day, days away from work should
include time to stretch and move.

Rest for the mind is also essential and a very different experience to sleep. Our mind is alert and taking
in information, making decisions and responding to demands (both consciously and unconsciously) for
all of our waking hours. In order to avoid cognitive overload our brain needs time to wander or zone out.
One of the most common ways to provide this rest to our brains is daydreaming. Other activities that
rest the brain are walking in nature (without podcasts or music), taking a long shower, engaging in
sport or exercise or having a small catnap. The more downtime you give your brain the greater your
focus when you need to concentrate.

The Mayo Institute also encourages naps for adults as a way to relax, reduce fatigue, improve mood
and recover from a busy working week. Napping and rest can be deeply restorative after a busy week
of work. Napping is also an effective tool for assisting with shift work. It is best not to nap too close to
night-time sleep and you need a cool and dark room. It is very important to note that napping and rest
is VERY different to lying in front of a screen or television for hours on end.

~ 28 ~
How beautiful it
nothingafterwards. is to
and then rest do
- Spanish proverb -
Challenge:
Your final challenge is to spend at least 30 minutes today in a state of rest or napping.
Make your space as calm and as quiet as possible. Really enjoy the sensation of turning the
noise of the world down and easing into rest. It will all be there waiting for you when you
return.

~ 29 ~
THANK YOU
On behalf of your family, friends, colleagues and patients
thank you for taking time in the last 14 days to invest in
yourself. If you have struggled to find the time to invest
each day, ask yourself why?

Did you still manage to watch television, iron or scroll on

your phone? These tasks are either things you ‘have’ to
do for yourself and your family or things you are simply
in the habit of doing even though it is not a healthy
habit.

Remember when you suffer, everything and everyone

around you will also be impacted. Self-care is care of
others and is an act of selflessness, not selfishness.

Moving forward, what aspects of this challenge can you

embed in your habits and routines as ‘normal’? Maybe it
is to walk more or be more compassionate to yourself.

Take a few minutes to make a commitment to yourself

for 2023 on something you will invest in regularly. Please
intentionally say no more so you can say yes to creating
time to nurture, nourish and nature yourself.

Take care,
Thank you for all you do.

Liz