Healthy people, healthy practice

Tools to enhance health and wellbeing

Abstract

Veterinary professionals are highly committed and dedicated individuals who work hard to care for their patients, clients, colleagues, and communities. For those who devote their lives to the service of others, the physical, emotional, and spiritual demands can lead to exhaustion. Day-to-day work expectations and pressures can at times feel overwhelming and isolating, and have detrimental effects on personal and professional wellbeing. The natural response may be to work harder, to give more, until there is nothing left to give. The good news is that as caring individuals, you have the capacity to focus that care on yourself. With development of healthy practices, you can continue to effectively provide comprehensive and compassionate care for others, while taking care of yourself. This paper will address and define some of the main challenges to health and wellbeing and identify strategies and tools individuals can implement to address them.