Art and Resilience at Work

Let's face it, many of us are overworked, underpaid and burned out. We heard about how those in the healthcare field specifically were extremely overworked during the pandemic, but they were not the only ones.

With reduced budgets and staff, many are forced to wear many more hats and take on more responsibility. When I was Active Duty in the Coast Guard, we always had to find a way to get more done with less. This can run the risk of burn out, mistakes and a negative work culture.

Having tools to negate these workplace (and even personal) concerns is paramount to maintaining resilience and continuing to be effective. Often people look to exercise, healthy eating, sleeping, a support system and a spiritual practice of some sort to remain strong. What many may not seek is art to assist with building strength and finding a sense of calm through turbulent or high-stress periods at work.

"Through meticulous selection, art consultants develop collections that can heal, encourage, uplift, calm and inspire. A positive patient, family, staff and visitor experience helps to reduce stress on healthcare leadership and pragmatically affects the hospital’s bottom line" (Dickenson, 2023)

Many designers, especially in the healthcare field have come to realization of how important artwork is in the workplace. Staff and patients alike can have a place of refuge, beauty, relaxation and inspiration along the walls of the hospital or building, the lobby, outside and even the overall layout or design of the building itself. There are many terms used such as Healthcare Design, Biophilic (which includes elements from nature), mental or behavioral health or even sustainable.

Vizient has a great blog that explains how art can be beneficial in healthcare environments. My work in particular focuses on colors and themes that draw from nature, cities and landscapes to provide a serene and almost spiritual experience for the viewer.

Larger organizations such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, who are tasked with caring for our nations veterans also face a difficult task of maintaining effectiveness and avoiding burn out. Many are veterans themselves throughout the staff. Below is as piece I provided to a Veterans Affairs clinic in Oklahoma.

Artwork Archive wrote an excellent blog post on using art a tool for resilience. Art can be used in many forms such as dance, poetry or music as well. Find out what works for you and your staff and do be afraid to experiment. Just be mindful of who you have on staff or who you work with in case some content may be triggering for them, especially violent or aggressive artwork.

I truly believe in the "Healing Power of Art" and try to use it in my everyday life. Try incorporating art in every part of your life, especially if you already have a lot on your plate to see if it can relieve some of your burden. Also, check out one last blog from Renee Philips, who I hold dear in the art and healing space. Happy healing.

References:

The Big Picture: How Artwork Positively Impacts the Healthcare Environment (vizientinc.com)

Art as a Tool for Resilience | Artwork Archive

Art in Healthcare is An Integral Part of The Design Plan (healing-power-of-art.org)