How To Stay Happy in the Business of Care…

Can you believe that some surmise that it is impossible to be consistently happy in the business of care.  After all, caring for people who cannot do so for themselves, many of whom cannot even make their own decisions can bring a bit of stress.

This applies in the minds of some regardless of the venue, i.e. group/assisted living, home care, hospital care, physician care among others.  The publishers of this Blog disagree.

You can be happy in care and there are special ingredients to help ensure that.  Perhaps these will be of interest to you.

Separate Business from Self

Businesses, like life, have ups and downs.  Sometimes there are operational, regulatory headaches or cash flow related.  It is simply the cycle of doing business.  Of course, we should do all we can to manage responsible, well-meaning entities, but negative things still occur.

Just remember, those things are the cycle of business.  They need not define you.  When you assign all of your personal self-worth and human value to the business, your happiness becomes entangled with the operation of an entity and that is not appropriate.  You must be more than your operation.  If not, you have personally sacrificed your happiness in advance.

Create a Nurturing Environment

Whether its a group home or a home care company, your staff may not be blood relatives of yours but they are still humans.  They eat, sleep, breathe and have feelings.  They have the capacity to experience happiness, joy, sorrow, depression, low self-worth and more.  While it would not be responsible to allow their personal issues to disrupt the success or integrity of the business, it is by no means inappropriate to try and contribute to someone’s happiness whom you employ.

Offer regular commendation, counsel and correct others with respect and consideration of the other person’s dignity.  This too can make you happier.  And, of course, you must accord them privacy in matters of performance evaluation.  Also, be sure that all standards and policies are evenly applied across the board. If it becomes known you are tolerating behavior from someone that you do not tolerate from others, your personal integrity will be legitimately questioned and your freedom of speech as a credible business owner will be potentially stifled.

Be True to Self and Practice Graciousness

Vacations matter.  Staycations matter.  Weekends away matter.  It is expected that you be committed to the success of the business, however, you must take time for self.  Morning meditation and scriptural readings can be helpful.  Read everyday! 

Taking time to check on someone who is ill or who has much worse circumstances than you do is also fulfilling.  In the course of pursuing business success or wealth it can be easy to ignore the pain of others.  This can make us shallow inside and rob us of the joy that unselfishness can bring.

Maintain Perspective

Yes, you want to do the best you can for residents, clients, etc.  However, the reality is you cannot satisfy everybody, all the time.  This must never become an excuse not to do our best, yet we have to be a realist.  Sometimes someone will be dissatisfied.  Just make sure it is not tied to our lack of or inadequate performance by us as owners on their behalf.

Avoid Hypocrisy

Do not be angry when you get paid late if you are not good and fair to your vendors. 

Be Decisive

When things linger because we refuse to make a decision that should be made, we can negatively impact our happiness.  If there is justification and the matter just cannot be repaired, that employee termination may have to occur, now!  If we need to make a financial investment that improves the business, its not time to be shortsighted and cheap.  Do it and keep your operation on track.  Just be careful ignoring the need to make prompt decisions or your happiness will be affected.

Don’t Run But Don’t Start

None of us should be inviting confrontation.  However, if there is someone or something you must safely confront for your benefit, the benefit of your family and/or business, do so.  Dodging it or finding yourself obsessed with rumor, dumb possibilities and the smallness of life will cut into your happiness.

Cut if Off

When its Friday evening, there may still be issues affecting care and care delivery.  However, the business end of things can be cut off.  Take a break from the invoices, the fights with adjusters, the dishonest complaints of the disgruntled employee, etc.  

Picture a garage in your mind and then visualize grabbing items you do not need on your mind and placing them in there.  Its a great mental exercise to help you compartmentalize the usage of the mind.  Relaxation and positive interactions with friends and family are quality diversions from work and are mentally healthy.

So, we hope you agree.  You can he happy as an operator of a care delivery business.  Perhaps the aforementioned tips will contribute to just that!

Share your thoughts.

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Another Blog Post by Direct Care Training & Resource Center, Inc.  Visit us online at:

www.directcaretraining.com

www.nhainnovations.com

www.directcareworkertraining.com

www.nursinghomeadministratortraining.com

Photos used are to complement the written material.  They do not imply an endorsement by or affiliation with any organization nor individual. 

Next Blog:  Why you cannot afford to ignore security in group home management?

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