As a frequent flyer, I’ve watched flight attendants give the pre-flight “oxygen mask” presentation a thousand times.
In the event of a sudden loss in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead compartments. Place the mask over your mouth and nose. Pull the strings to tighten the mask. Be sure to secure your mask before attempting to help others.”
The last part of that message about securing your mask before attempting to help others has become a trendy analogy for the importance of practicing self-care. How can you help others if you are yourself physically or emotionally incapacitated?
At high altitudes, a loss in cabin pressure causes hypoxia—where the body shuts down from a lack of oxygen. Without sufficient oxygen, passengers lose consciousness. You can’t help another passenger, like a child, put on their oxygen mask if you are unconscious.
The oxygen mask/self-care analogy makes sense.
However, I fear as society continues to (rightfully) emphasize the importance of self-care, a crucial component of that analogy is slipping away.
Like a lot of passengers, I’ve been guilty of not giving the pre-flight instructions my full attention. After a while, I start to tune out.
In the event of a sudden loss in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead compartments. Place the mask over your mouth and nose…blah, blah, blah.
Unfortunately, the same is happening to the oxygen mask analogy. People are getting the part about putting on their mask first (self-care) but omitting the reason why they are putting their mask on first.
The oxygen mask analogy is turning into “you do you” and “me first.”
What comes after the “…” is crucial because the rest of the message provides context to the motive. You are putting your mask on first so that you can help those who cannot help themselves put on their mask. The purpose of your action is team-driven, not self-driven.
Without purpose beyond self, the concept of self-care is just repackaged selfishness.
To be clear, not taking care oneself, not getting enough rest, not recharging one’s batteries, or allowing oneself to burnout are equally selfish.
Good teammates embrace the value of self-care, as well as the purpose for it. They appreciate that self-care can help them become more efficient and make them more sustainable. They care enough to care for themselves—so that they can best care for the needs of their team.
And they encourage other members of their team to do the same.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
