Nursing is one of the most rewarding professions in the world. You have to train and study hard to obtain all the knowledge and techniques required to practice, and once qualified, you can help people every day.
But as any nurse knows, the work is incredibly difficult and draining at times. You work long hours, usually during unsociable hours, and often receive little to no thanks for your fantastic service. You may encounter all kinds of challenges and hardships over the course of a shift, and by the time you go home at the end, you have little energy left to focus on your personal life or self-care.
No matter how important and meaningful your career may be, it’s important not to see it as your entire life. Focusing solely on your profession will sacrifice the quality of your existence outside of work, hurting your health, relationships, and happiness. Maintaining a good work-life balance is essential to thriving at everything you do and avoiding burnout.
Here are some tips for establishing a better work-life balance to help you better manage your professional and personal life.
Manage your time effectively
When you work in healthcare, time limitations are one of the biggest hurdles you must overcome. There is no right or wrong way to manage your workload since everyone is different. But you must find an effective time management system that allows you to get your daily tasks done on schedule and spend less time working beyond your allotted hours.
Prioritize self care
If you’re rushing around at work, spending your time off doing household errands and maintaining a busy social calendar, you’re not getting the relaxation you need.
Downtime is vital as it allows your mind and body to rest and recharge before you return to work. Give yourself a moment of relaxation every evening after work, whether a long, hot bath with a glass of wine or reading a book with your cat curled up on your lap. Whatever self-care looks like for you, get as much of it as possible.
Look after your relationships.
If you live with a spouse or partner, your relationship can suffer from excessive working hours. Particularly if they also have a high-pressure job as a nurse, doctor, lawyer or forex broker, for example.
Even if you have to schedule it in your calendars, prioritize having alone time with each other and work on maintaining a solid relationship.
Maintain your health
You spend your days looking after the health of others, but how much time do you devote to your own? When you work a complex, tiring job, it can be hard to summon up the motivation to exercise or to eat well. Sometimes all you want to do is spend your day-off lounging on the sofa with a heap of junk food in front of you.
But you should make time to care for your body and your mind. Get regular exercise and try to eat a balanced diet where possible. You will feel more alert and active, and the quality of your work will benefit too.
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