Introverted Social Worker

Yep that's right, I'm an introvert and I'm a social worker. What the hell was I thinking?!  I've come to realize that I have to take my self care seriously for a few reasons.
While still active duty I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder.  I have been on a handful of antidepressants over the years and have seen numerous therapist.  Over time and with some nudging from my Dad, I looked at my depression in a different light along with my string of failed relationships and was diagnosed with post traumatic disorder due to being sexually assaulted at my first military assignment.  I got some therapy focused on PTSD, during my graduate schooling for being a social worker, along with some individual therapy to help me sort through some things.  
Self care is repeated over and over during my grad school. Self care is important for EVERYONE but if you're in a helping profession, sometimes we forget ourselves and we do things that are not healthy due to being tired and drained from the day.
I have felt like I've been doing o.k. with this but Monday I felt I was losing some of my grip.  
As an introvert I NEED my time to recharge.  Being home in an empty apartment is fuel for my soul, along with eating healthy, and attempting to exercise regularly.  In the past 14 days I've had three days off.  As a former military person, this is a "whatever" schedule especially when you add a few 10 hour days in there.  But my job as a social worker is regularly more taxing mentally than my time in the service. It's normal for my brain to be done at the end of the day and I'm peopled out... not so much with my military time :P  
My two days off in a row were nice but I also went to a Pampered Chef party where I knew two people, and then a superbowl party where I sort of knew most of the guys.  Both things were nice and I was glad to get out and "mingle" but as an introvert, those two outings represented me not recharging much over the weekend along with being taxing and draining.
Monday at work I was so off!  I felt that my group sucked, my clients annoyed me, and I just wanted to withdraw and not talk to anyone.  I didn't even say bye when I left work :(  I was irritable and short.  I questioned my vocational choice, I questioned what I said in sessions, I questioned everything and my shit filter was on.  
Now, one thing about my current job is that it is PRN... as needed.  I don't work Monday-Friday with set hours.  At times it's chaotic, not knowing what is going to be tasked to me until I show up in the morning but leadership is working on having the taskings out prior to the morning of!  WOOT! With that change I was able to see that on Tuesday (prior to leaving work on Monday) that I was not running any groups in the morning, not even the afternoon groups, I had my individual sessions and a new client assessment.  That meant I didn't have to go in early in the morning!  I decided to go in around lunch.... plus our therapist have been over the allocated hours so we were told to be mindful of our hours and streamline what we can ;)
Yesterday morning was casual and all me!  I did some stuff around the apartment, researched stuff for clients over my coffee, and slowly got ready for my day!
I was recharged and felt back in peace with my life.  I didn't feel completely "on game" with one of the clients but over all the day went smooth and I came home in a good mood.  It also helps that my man went grocery shopping and had dinner cooking when I walked in the door ;)  
Just a few leisurely hours in the morning before work and it helped me get back on track!  I didn't do anything crazy but I did do things for me!  Things that I've put off for weeks for some reason or another.
Normally my work schedule gives me a day or two off during the week, but sometimes I work a weekend day.  I'm not a fan of working on weekends due to that being Joe's time off but having days off during the week when Joe is at work is refreshing to my soul and he gets this. My weekend work days gives him a time to refresh his soul and also get some school work done :P  
Self care is SO important!  I can't loose touch with myself and who I am because when I do I am not longer genuine with my clients and I don't want to "go through the motions" with them. 
They deserve so much more! and so do I!