Guys come with me on this journey.
Believe it or not, self-care is more than just going to the spa. It's a complete self-reset, a time to reflect and recharge. It is a holistic approach focusing on the whole person, not just their diet and exercise habits.
2024 self-care coaching
The plan is to create and deliver a 12-month coaching program on health and wellness, self-care. The idea is to motivate, encourage and empower individuals to achieve self-determined goals centred around their well-being. Self-care is an essential component of holistic wellness.
As a nurse, I am particularly interested in Self-care coaching because it aligns with my values, beliefs, and understanding of health and wellness. It's about empowering the person to create the desired outcome that they want in their lives.
Holistic self-care is about the WHOLE person, the complete package of wellness that includes the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, (and social) aspects of your life. It involves nurturing and addressing each dimension to promote balance and overall wellness.
The self-care coaching process is all about finding that balance of wellness.
Self-care coaching focuses on helping individuals develop and maintain healthy habits and practices that promote well-being and reduce stress. It is a form of supported self-management intervention that enables people to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to take opportunities to become active participants in their care.
As a self-care nurse coach, I support clients by:
• Providing the necessary tools and guidance to help overcome their challenges and find their purpose, such as: Improving diet and exercise, behaviour/mindset change, managing stress, managing chronic conditions, managing addictions, and predicting obstacles.
• Support clients to develop and sustain a self-care routine and plan that is tailored to their specific needs and goals.
• By doing so, I help them improve their overall well-being, leading to a more fulfilling life.
That's the general plan.
Are you still with me?
Why not coaching
Do you know that saying 'an apple does fall from the tree'? I'm sure you do. The good thing is that I'm not an apple or a tree. So, no big surprise there.
But on a serious note, I have been a coach and mentor for as long as I can remember. Working in transformation and change management within the health sector developed my organisational coaching skills as I worked with and supported external health organisations and teams through internal systemic change to achieve their strategic objectives, enhance leadership capability, and create that culture of change. As a clinician, mentoring is second nature and part and parcel of my training and development. I am therefore conversant with applying a person-centred approach while coaching groups and individuals alike.
So, who are these clients I hear you ask?
Aside from the organisational coaching in transformational health care, this time I have decided to stick to what I know best, who I am, and what I enjoy doing the most, outside work. The description of myself helped me a great deal to decide on the description of the type of client I coach. 'Female, educated, creative, business owner, employed, wife, mum, adult, and Nigerian'. That's always a good place to start.
My clients are highly skilled Nigerian women (and men on request/group coaching) who are going through, have transitioned through significant changes and challenges or are empty nesters. Changes maybe biological, physiological, relationships- family units/dynamics. People who are seeking guidance and support to improve their health and well-being, but also have a need to refocus, build confidence and generally aspire and desire more to their life irrespective of their cultural and religious background.
Challenges
Some of the biggest challenges amongst this client group can be categorised as:
a. Work-life balance: women in this age group may struggle to balance their personal and professional lives, which can lead to stress and burnout.
b. Social obligations and expectations: African women have played a significant role in social and economic activities throughout history.
c. Health issues: women in this age group may experience a variety of health issues, including menopause (or childbirth), which can lead to physical and emotional changes.
d. Relationship issues: women may face challenges in their relationships, including family dynamics, which can lead to feelings of isolation and looniness.
e. Lack of self-awareness: Women in this age group may require support to develop the ability to monitor their inner and external worlds and understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
f. Finance and the Future: according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, many employees are only saving very little for retirement, and most of those participating in a pension save low amounts.
Benefit
Self-care coaching can provide a range of benefits to both the individual and the organisation. For
For the coachee benefits include:
a. Improved self-awareness: Self-care coaching can help individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their values and beliefs. This can help them better understand themselves and their goals. (clarity of personal goals/purpose).
b. Increased confidence: Individuals can improve their confidence and self-esteem by developing a self-care routine tailored to their specific needs and goals.
c. Reduced stress: Self-care coaching can help individuals develop coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and anxiety, which can improve their overall well-being.
d. Improved work-life balance: By developing a self-care routine that prioritizes their personal needs, individuals can achieve a better work-life balance, which can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
e. Improved relationships: Self-care coaching can help individuals develop better communication skills and improve their relationships with others, including family members and colleagues. (create and maintain healthy boundaries).
f. A future state: financial freedom and retirement - support with identifying specific financial challenges and developing strategies to overcome them.
It’s important to note that the benefits of self-care coaching may vary depending on the
individual’s specific needs and goals. As a self-care coach, I can help identify and develop strategies to overcome these challenges. By doing so, I help improve the overall well-being, leading to a more fulfilling life.
Benefits of Promoting Workplace Wellness
For an organisation, the benefit of promoting wellness is for both the employee and organisation. Mental health (emotional, psychological, mind) is one of the key areas discussed in a coaching session and has a direct impact on both the employee and the organisation.
There’s been a rise in the number of reported mental health issues over the past 10 years, and it’s well recognised that many risks to people’s health at work are psychological. This has led to a growing recognition of the need for employer wellbeing practices to address the psychosocial, as well as the physical, aspects of health and wellbeing.
Taking care of employee wellbeing:
Helps leaders accomplish ambitious long-term company goals and maximise the potential of resources available to them.
Improves employee productivity and moral: Employees who are healthy and feel excited about going to work every day are usually more productive and produce better results for the company. They’re also likely to feel more accomplished and appreciated by their leaders
Reduces health risks and absenteeism: People who work in a healthy and positive work environment are often healthier than those who don’t. This is because whenever they notice any health symptoms, they can address the issue immediately without worrying about their supervisors and colleagues judging or disciplining them. As a result of the wellness efforts, the company may also notice less absenteeism
Makes the workplace more attractive: investing in employee wellbeing and wellness activities makes the workplace more attractive, which has two key benefits. Firstly, it improves employee retention and makes investing in employee growth less risky. Secondly, it makes it possible for HR representatives to source, attract and hire better talent, including highly qualified specialists
Improves employee engagement: Promoting health and wellness can help prevent stress and create positive working environments where individuals and organizations can thrive. Good health and wellbeing can be a core enabler of employee engagement and organizational performance
The 6 months FREE virtual coaching program starts 01 January 2024 and will include specific areas for weekly self-reflections, podcast. Join in anytime, anywhere.
January 2024
Month 1: Work-Life Balance
Week 1: Identifying your priorities and setting boundaries.
Week 2: Time management strategies
Week 3: Mindfulness and stress reduction techniques
Week 4: Developing a self-care routine.
To join the self-care webinar/community, or for more information on coaching, mentoring and strategic nursing email: nene@eooncare.com