The Spiritual Fitness ManualSample

First Responder Self-Care—Avoiding Burnout: Part 2

By Reverend Hillary R. Bercovici, PH.D, Former NYC-EMS Paramedic, NYC Disaster Chaplaincy Services Volunteer

So how does all of this apply to self-care and protection against burnout? Most of the general principles of self-care will be obvious. For just a few examples:

• Don’t treat yourself any worse than you would treat your patients

–Patient care is actually “Job No. 2” after “Job No. 1”, self-care

• Take good care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually

–Give yourself the same consideration you would give others

• Recognize early warning signs of exhaustion and burnout

–Notice subtle changes in mood, energy and attitude and get rest

While these and many other widely available practical guidelines for self-care are important, they don’t address the equally important spiritual guidelines that will go a long way toward preventing burnout on the job. 

Acceptance: The key to accepting yourself is found in God’s acceptance of you.

• God wants us to come to Him as we are. He sees all our imperfections, yet he wants us to approach Him and receive His love, acceptance and forgiveness.

• Biblical love of self begins with the humbling task of accepting yourself with all your imperfections, just as God accepts you.

• If you have not yet forgiven yourself for all that God has forgiven in your life, then you have not yet truly and completely accepted His forgiveness of you.

• For those of us who have struggled with various forms of abuse or lifelong judgment from others, deepening self-acceptance will require a process of healing, but one that, with God’s help, is indeed achievable.