RESTORE, REJUVENATE & RENEW YOUR ENERGY

BRINGING SANITY INTO OUR WORK DAY WITH MINDFULNESS & SELF-COMPASSION

Eileen Spillane RN, MS

The Balanced Nurse

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

• PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR PRESENT MOMENT EXPERIENCE WITH…

• OPENNESS

• CURIOSITY

• NON-JUDGEMENT

FEEL YOUR BODY

STRESS

• Demands exceed resources.

• Perception of the stressor. (Good news)

• If we change the way we see, we change the way we respond.

Demands exceed the Resources

Nursing Stressors

• Life and Death

• Sensory Overload

• Shift Work

• Horizontal Violence

• Home Life

IS IT WORTH THE CORTISOL SURGE?

Amgydala

Are we safe?

Why Zebras don’t get ulcers.

You can’t stop the waves….

But you can learn how to surf

Perception

How do you interpret events?

“Naming” Our Experience

• Amygdala calmed down, reduced blood flow.

• Increased flow to right prefrontal cortex, emotion regulation.

Ineffective Coping

• Denial

• Suppress with food, drugs or alcohol

• Numb out with media/internet

• Busyness

• Compulsive spending

• Negative self-talk

FEEL YOUR BODY

Are you paying attention to your body?

Velcro vs Teflon

CHANGING OUR BRAIN

• Pruning (cell death)

• 2005 Harvard Study with monks

• Novice meditators

Endurance Meditators

Thicker prefrontal region and the anterior insole of brain.

Newbie Meditators

• 8 week MBSR

• Stressed biotech team

• Brain shift-prefrontal cortex

Self-Hate vs Self-Love

• Empathically hold the self that took the action and that regrets it.

• Greatest danger is not circumstances we face, but the way we treat ourselves at the time.

• Nothing makes it more difficult to heal than self-hate

Unconditional Love

Kindness phrases

• May I be happy & peaceful.

• May I be kind & patient with myself

• May I hold my joys & sorrows with an open heart

• May I love & accept myself exactly as I am, in this moment.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter 1

I walk down the street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I fall in.I am lost... I am hopeless.It isn't my fault.It takes forever to find a way out.

CHAPTER 2

I walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I pretend I don't see it.I fall in again.I can't believe I am in this same place.But it isn't my fault.It still takes a long time to get out.

CHAPTER 3

I walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I see it there.I still fall in... it's a habit... but,my eyes are open.I know where I am.It is my fault.I get out immediately.

CHAPTER 4

I walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I walk around it.

CHAPTER 5

I walk down another street

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

By Portia Nelson

Ways to Reduce Stress at Work

5 minutes in AM to be quiet with yourself.

Driving- aware of body tension.

5 miles below the speed limit, right lane.

5 minutes after parking at the workplace

Mindfulness at work

Pyxis

Telephone & Call lights

Door handles

Breathe when your pt breathes

STOP

STOP

TAKE A BREATH

OBSERVE

PROCEED

WHAT’S MY INTENTION

• BEFORE ACTING ON SOMETHING

• WILL THIS HARM OR HELP?

FEEL YOUR BODY

Are you paying attention to your body?

Take a breath

• When you park at home, take a minute to orient yourself, before entering your home.

Self Compassion

Can we find a way to be kind to ourselves?

Befriending ourselves

Support yourself through a difficulty as you would a close friend.

Oxytocin (love hormone)

LEARN TO MEDITATE CHANGE YOUR BRAIN

JUST SAY NO! Or at least pause and get back to them!

LIMIT COMPUTER TIME

WHAT ARE YOU TAKING IN?

USE YOUR PTO AND TRAVEL!

Who do you spend your time with?

Unsupportive Friends

YOGA

WHO BRIGHTENS YOUR DAY?

QUESTIONS?

Eileen@thebalancednurse.com

WWW.THEBALANCEDNURSE.COM