It’s Spring! Time for Spring cleaning! Time to clean out those closets and cabinets, discard the items you don’t need anymore, put away the remnants of winter, and prepare for a new season! Spring is the traditional season for renewal and new beginnings, decluttering and refreshing our lives. It is a time of new growth and regeneration after a long winter. Spring is the time when things that have been dormant come alive. Spring brings new life and beautiful, bright colors to replace the winter blues. Entering a new season can be exciting!

Spring is also a time to take care of yourself so you can stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well. As Case Managers, we sometimes forget about creating a balance between our professional and personal lives. Sometimes the line between our professional and personal lives becomes blurred. Balance is necessary to maintain health. To maintain balance, you need a positive mindset. We need to care for ourselves just as we care for all the people in our lives. We need balance to prevent burn out and compassion fatigue.

Here are a few things that can be helpful in finding your balance. Start your day with a positive affirmation. Your attitude is everything! Focus on the good things and surround yourself with positive people. Try to find humor in bad situations and turn failures into lessons. Laugh every day. Be aware of your self-talk and practice self-compassion. Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love. Be kind to yourself.

Set aside some time every day to care for yourself. Don’t feel guilty about taking personal time. This is a gift you give yourself! Go outside and enjoy the warm, sunny weather (when it’s not raining!). Take a long walk and absorb the sights, sounds and smells of spring - listen to the symphonies of birds chirping and children playing, smell freshly cut grass, enjoy the spring flowers, and revel in the sound of rain drops and blowing wind. Enjoy the longer days and outside activities. Spend time with your family and friends. Relax in the great outdoors. Recharge your batteries! Spend a relaxing afternoon reading a book or watching a movie. Self-care is so important. Taking care of yourself will make you more resilient, better able to handle any stresses that come your way, and happier. Yes, happier. And happiness is good for your health. The healthier you are, the more you will thrive personally and professionally. Strive to maintain a regular sleeping routine, eat healthy, and do things that you enjoy. Spring is a time to nourish and care for yourself. It’s a time to rejuvenate! Enjoy the amazing season of Spring!

Bio: Janet Coulter, MSN, MS, RN, CCM, FCM, is a transplant case manager with a wide variety of experiences including educator, administrator, team leader, and Director of Case Management. Janet holds a Master of Science in Nursing from West Virginia University and a Master of Science in Adult Education from Marshall University. She has published many articles in CMSA Today and the Professional Case Management Journal and served as a reviewer for the Core Curriculum for Case Management Third Edition. She currently serves as Chair of the CMSA Today Editorial Board and Secretary of the CMSA Foundation board. Janet was the recipient of the CMSA National Award of Service Excellence and Southern Ohio Valley CMSA Case Management Leadership award and was recently inducted as a Case Management Fellow from CMSA.

Janet is presenting at the 2023 CMSA Annual Conference in Las Vegas with the concurrent session "Leadership: Generational Diversity in the Workplace", Wednesday, June 28 at 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM and the poster "Unconscious Bias: Do You Know What Influences You?", Wednesday, June 28 at 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM. Don't miss them! Explore more #CMSA2023 sessions in the conference schedule and then register to secure the early bird rate: https://cmsa.societyconference.com/conf/#sessions/conf10003