Making Self-Care The Norm For Your Team

Imagine this scenario...

You arrive at work on time for your normal shift, proud that you had enough time to grab a snack and a coffee to consume on your commute to work. When you walk in the door, it is all systems go, and that isn’t uncommon. You are monitoring your fifth anaesthetic that day when you realise that it is actually 2 pm and you haven’t had a break, not even to go to the toilet or drink water. Come to think of it, you haven’t needed to go to the loo. Handy right? There wasn’t time to stop anyway!  

For me, this was a common occurrence in a previous workplace. Days were full, busy, stressful, and when I sat in my car after a shift, I felt empty. On the occasions when I could take a lunch break, I sat there feeling guilty that I was stopping whilst there was so much to be done. There was a plentiful supply of caffeine and sugary snacks for all employees, and a lot of stressed-out colleagues. Sometimes I used to return home and share with my partner that I didn’t even stop for water all day. On reflection, I was sharing this in a way that seemed to be a ‘badge of honour’.

Introducing HALT

When I started working for VetLed, I came across the HALT campaign, and suddenly I realised that in other workplaces, taking a break is the norm. A culture where this simple act of self-care is encouraged prioritises employee wellbeing throughout the day, and actually supports patient safety. It was a mindset shift that I am so glad to have made!

What is HALT?

HALT stands for:

Hungry or Thirsty

Angry or Anxious

Late or Lonely

Tired  

It is a simple acronym that allows us to check in and see where we are at, at any given time during the day, prompting us to take care of ourselves. I know that when I was working and ignoring my basic needs for the ‘benefit’ of the patient in front of me, that I was sacrificing my wellbeing. I told myself that I was putting my patients first. The first time I read that our wellbeing has a direct impact on our performance, and the safety of our patients, the dots connected, and I realised that I was achieving the opposite of my everyday goal – supporting my patients to have the best outcomes possible. I realised that the workplace that I was in had a culture of ‘grin and bear it’ and ‘get the job done at all costs’.

Putting HALT into Practice

If you are reading this and any part resonates, please ask yourself, what is the ‘way we do things around here’ where you work? Do your leaders demonstrate self-care and prioritise their own wellbeing as well as promote that for others? Would you like to help create a shift in your workplace?  

The HALT campaign is a great way to introduce these concepts because it promotes simple, actionable steps to improve wellbeing and reduce error through rest, self-awareness, and teamwork.  

I know that the next time I am going to work in a vet practice, I will be asking in the interview (or scoping out from their website) how they approach break-taking, and prioritise wellbeing day-to-day for the team.

What Next?

If you are wondering where to go now, the next step could be taking the concept of HALT to your team lead, or bringing it to your next workplace meeting. Let’s start holding ourselves and each other accountable for self-care, and bring the expectation for others in the team to do the same.  

For more information, please head to HALT: Hungry, Angry, Late, Tired—Pause for Safety | VetLed. Our HALT 2026 online course is now available to book, focusing on improving patient safety by acknowledging and addressing sleep deprivation in veterinary team members.

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