ABSTRACT
Rather than advocate for enough vacation or sick days, we are overworked and show up at the job when we are unwell. We often define ourselves, and others, through our job description. When meeting new people, after asking their name, we immediately ask what they do for a living. We admire professionals who dedicate their lives to their jobs, not necessarily the ones who pace themselves and spend as much time on self-care as they do helping others. And if we do find the courage to engage in self-care, the lack of societal support can evoke a feeling of embarrassment, so we don’t necessarily talk about it. When no one admits to making time for self-care, it doesn’t get normalized. Charles Figley (2002) also emphasized the need to let go of work by “building a firewall between ourselves and potential career-killing stress.” (p. 216).
