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Anyone who has ever held a job knows that work-life balance is essential. But for nurses, striking a balance between professional and personal responsibilities is crucial. Nurses must have a healthy life outside of work to achieve success inside the hospital. And if they do not have the support from their employer and colleagues, it is even more vital they find that support elsewhere.
At the same time, nurses are responsible for their own families. They are the ones who get up early to make breakfast and get the kids off to school. They are the ones who stay up late to do the laundry and pay the bills. And, often by necessity, they are the ones who take care of aging parents or sick spouses. Being a nurse is not easy. But nurses are accustomed to solving complex problems and working hard to meet their responsibilities. So how exactly do nurses strike that delicate balance between their professional and personal responsibilities?
Nurses who want to achieve work-life balance must make a conscious effort to create it. That means setting boundaries and making time for themselves. It means not always saying “yes” to every request and not putting work first. Nurses must set boundaries in both their professional and personal lives. They should not take on extra projects at work or volunteer for every committee they are asked to join. They should also stop wasting their time on the phone. Nurses should take advantage of online programs that the CCNE accredits. These courses provide flexibility and convenience not found in traditional teaching while providing extensive opportunities for interaction with faculty members with extensive experience within their field. There is no doubt that if you want to boost your professional career, CCNE accredited online MSN programs are the way to go.
Let’s take a deeper dive to understand how nurses can create a balance between professional and personal responsibilities:
Enjoy the simple things in life
The simple things in life are the precious possessions that make life worth living. They include friends, family members, and loved ones. Enjoy simple pleasures like going on walks or reading books at home together with your favorite cup of tea. Such little moments can’t be forgotten when considering the sacrifices in the profession and careers as a nurse.
Nurses can enjoy these moments of downtime, too. Have you ever been so wrapped up in your work that the simple things slip by? It is easy to get caught up with all we have on our plates as a nurse. They juggle between patients’ care plans and medication orders while failing to miss any deadlines or obligations at home. There’s barely time left over for family dinner most nights—let alone anything else like hobbies or fun activities outside working hours.
Accept things as they are
It is important to accept things as they are. Acceptance allows self-reflection and helps create coping strategies by acknowledging what happened during an event or situation.
In addition, accepting those aspects within our power allows us room for playfulness through mistakes made while delivering care services. Since most people make errors during their careers, given how dynamic these jobs have been over history. Nursing professionals should deal with stress, fight off high-stress environments such as hospital work and tend toward more positive thinking behaviors instead.
Live a healthier life
One of the best ways to achieve a good work-life balance as a nurse is by living healthier. Do you exercise regularly and eat healthy foods? If not, this could be one area in your life where improvement would help with both patient care and family time at home too. By making changes towards better health habits like eating right & exercising often, we can feel more energized.
Time management
To keep things in check, you need to set limits on your time for family and work-related activities and stick by them at home or in the office. When it comes down to patients, make sure you show empathy and constructive criticism when appropriate. It will save any potential conflict that can arise from juggling the demands of both worlds.
Deal with conflicts immediately
It’s important to have conversations with your significant other about their feelings and what might be causing their mood changes. This will help keep the peace in a relationship, ensure there aren’t any hidden feelings of anger or resentment towards you. It will also allow time for intimacy when needed instead of spending all day at work and spending more money on therapists than necessary.
Take in-between restorative breaks
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for nurses who are constantly on the go. Breaks between work can help you avoid burnout and get more restful sleep at night. It will make you feel refreshed during the day to provide patients care without feeling stressed. To create these mini-breaks throughout the day, try taking five deep breaths as soon as possible after finishing each task while running between patients to rejuvenate and remain focused.
Exercise
The happiest people have one thing in common; they’re physically active. Whether it’s going for a 10-minute walk outside during your break or using on-site facilities if available – exercise is a cheap and effective antidepressant.
We all know that exercise is good for you, but did you also realize how it can be both an antidepressant and mood booster? For nurses, the benefits of exercise are clear. Studies show they can help with everything from pain management to mental health and mood disorders like depression or anxiety disorder while improving your physical fitness.
Conclusion
Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system and are some of the most selfless people in society. They spend their days working to make others happy and pain-free, even when it comes to great personal sacrifice for themselves or loved ones. This article mentions a few ways nurses can manage a healthy work-life balance. If you’re a nurse juggling personal and professional responsibilities, consider the tips above.
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