Avoid Breaking Down: Tips for Self-Leadership

Getting to your breaking point is an occupational hazard. But it doesn’t have to be your truth. That’s according to speaker, author, nurse and well-being coach, Diane Sieg, RN, CYT, CSP.

She recommends nurses practice Self-Leadership—the relationship you have with yourself, how you treat, feel about, and talk to yourself. “You practice Self-Leadership when you make better decisions to feel good about yourself and the work you do every day,” Sieg says.

As a nurse and well-being coach for 28 years, she knows nurses need a structure and support to prioritize themselves so they can make better decisions. “We are great at helping others be healthy and whole in mind and body, but we don’t take our own advice and honor how we feel when we are overwhelmed, exhausted or even sick.”

Learn the Foundation of Self-Leadership

To coach the skillsets for Self-Leadership through her Well-Being Coaching Initiative, Sieg uses the acronym, CPR. “This is not the same as the cardiopulmonary resuscitation you are already familiar with, but it’s just as lifesaving, because it breathes new life and energy into your work and life,” she says.

She explains how nurses can apply Self-Leadership CPR for themselves.

C—Compassion

This is specifically about Self-Compassion, being kind to yourself by owning your humanness. Accept you will get tired, grumpy, and will make mistakes, like every other human.  And when you do, instead of beating yourself up for it, you learn and grow from it and move on.  

P—Presence

Nurses are great task-masters, but being present means not agonizing about something that already happened or worrying about all that hasn’t happened yet. Appreciate and acknowledge the present moment, right here, right now. It starts with doing one thing at a time and practicing active listening to whoever is speaking to you.

R—Rest and Recovery

Nurses tend to think they are superwomen and supermen and can keep going, but everyone needs time to recover, reset, and recharge, and not just on the weekend or vacation.

The key is to have a recovery routine, and it’s helpful to start small. If what you need is time alone, commit to something you can do daily like a walk or spend 20 minutes drawing or listening to your favorite music, just for you.

Know How to Use Self-Leadership in the Moment

Self-Leadership is proactive and practiced every day, in the calm times, to help you respond differently when you are feeling stressed, Sieg explains. When you find yourself in a position where emotions are high and overwhelming, (and there will be), here are a couple ways to cope in the moment.

First, when you feel like your world is falling apart, it’s important to acknowledge it and feel it, she advises. “Don’t question your feelings or worse, suppress them altogether. Remember what you are feeling is temporary.” Sieg likes to visualize these moments as a wave that you ride, and then it will disappear. 

Second, if you feel on the edge of your breaking point, ask yourself: “What do I need right now?” Maybe it’s to call a friend, take a walk outside, or eat lunch. If you are in the middle of a case, you can practice deep breathing or visualize your happy place.   

Nurses are strong, creative problem-solvers, and you already know these coping strategies because you teach them to your patients, family members and even strangers in the grocery store, she says. “Self-Leadership means more than just knowing what to do, it’s making the decision to do it for yourself and we all need support to do this.”

Learn more about Sieg’s Well-Being Coaching Initiative for yourself and your team at dianesieg.com

Additional Resources

Become an AORN Leader Member -- Whether you’re new to managing or are a seasoned executive, get the education, resources, and support you need to lead your team forward

Register now for Leader Exchange: Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce. August 28, 2024 | 1:00pm ET – a complimentary, one-hour webinar for leaders and those who wish to strengthen their professional skills