Psychosocial professionals face a wide range of challenges in their daily work. In order to stay healthy and feel good despite the respective conditions, it is important to practice self-care.
The seminar “Live Better!” was developed at the Center for Empirical Educational Research at the University of Koblenz-Landau. The aim of the seminar is to strengthen self-care and thereby prevent the possible consequences of work-related stress, such as burnout.
Contents
The seminar covers the following topics:
- Introduction to self-care
- Mindfulness as a way of life
- Stress and burnout
- Resources in everyday life
- Self-care at work
Participants will learn about a self-care attitude and how they can actively contribute to their own well-being. In addition to detailed information, the focus will be on practical instructions and group discussion. Participants will also receive ideas on how to implement self-care in their everyday lives.
Schedule
The seminar consists of four seminar units, each taking place at weekly intervals. This is followed by a practical day after three weeks. The focus here is on the exchange of experiences between participants. Each unit lasts 4 hours.
Evaluation
The effectiveness of the Live Better! concept was scientifically examined in a large-scale study conducted between 2013 and 2017.
This evaluation was funded by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Study results
The effectiveness of the seminar concept was tested in a large-scale study involving 84 psychosocial workers. Seminar participants showed a reduction in stress levels and exhaustion, as well as an increase in mindfulness and self-efficacy. There was also an improvement in self-care. Qualitative data show that many of the participants have begun to actively contribute to their own well-being. They do this on the one hand by using and living their resources (such as mindfulness, exercise, relaxation) more consciously. On the other hand, stress is reduced, for example by reducing tasks. Significant positive changes are also evident in terms of coping with stress. Stress is recognized at an early stage. Many try to prevent stress from arising in the first place, for example, by planning their working day better. Changed attitudes, characterized by greater calm and serenity, also reduce the experience of stress. In order to obtain information about the long-term effectiveness of the intervention, all participants were surveyed again approximately three years after attending the seminar. All changes could still be detected after this long period of time, which speaks for the sustainable preventive benefits of the intervention (Dahl, 2019).
Publications on the Better Living! concept
Article “Preventing stress and burnout” published in the Rheinpfalz newspaper on September 17, 2013
Dahl, C. (2018). A plea for more self-care. On the preventive benefits of self-care using the example of psychosocial professionals. Prevention and Health Promotion, 13 (2), 131-137. doi.org/10.1007/s11553-017-0626-x
Dahl, C. (2019). Why it pays to take good care of yourself. On the long-term benefits of self-care – results of two empirical studies. Prevention and Health Promotion, 14 (1), 69-78. doi.org/10.1007/s11553-018-0650-5
Dahl, C. & Dlugosch, G. E. (2019). Live better! A seminar on strengthening self-care for psychosocial professionals. Prevention and Health Promotion, 15 (1), 27-35. doi.org/10.1007/s11553-019-00735-2
Dahl, C. & Dlugosch, G. E. (2020). Live better! A seminar on strengthening self-care for psychosocial professionals. Prevention and Health Promotion, 15 (1), 27-35. doi.org/10.1007/s11553-019-00735-2