Being a nurse can be among the most rewarding career choices. As a nurse, you’re responsible for the day-to-day comfort and well-being of a wide range of ill patients. But being a nurse also means coping with stress, either from caring for patients or managing long shifts; more often you’re dealing with both. All of this can take a massive toll on your physical, emotional and mental health, and although it can be challenging finding respite within one of the most demanding of careers, it is essential to tend to your needs as much as your patients’ needs. Self-care routines largely depend on nurse to nurse, but these basic self-care tips can get you on the right track to establishing your own, unique routine.
1. Take care of your physical health: No one can work effectively if they’re indisposed in some way. And you’re definitely not in a position to take care of others if you’re not taking care of yourself. That means incorporating healthy, nutritious food (fresh produce, high protein and quality grains and fats) into your diet. Although it’s tempting to want to pop open an energy drink, sugary drinks do nothing but provide a short-term jolt. A good way to eat the right foods with little work during the week is to plan meals. Meal prepping, in general, is a great idea for anyone looking to reform their diet. Preparing three meals for the week means one less thing to worry about during your hectic schedule. Taking care of your physical health also means getting enough exercise. Some nurses, instead of sitting at the nurses’ station for long periods of time, walk the hallways and check on patients. Use a lunch break to go for a walk outside. It can be easy to fall out of these self-care necessities if you’re so focused on a job that requires so much of you, but diet and exercise ensure you have the right amount of energy to complete the tasks at hand.
2. Establish boundaries: It can be easy to obsess over your work, especially if you’re passionate about that work. In general, this is a good tip for anyone, but especially for nurses, many of whom become nurses for their inherent desire to take care of the sick. You’re a nurse between the time you clock in and the time you clock out, and that should be it. It’s important to keep a healthy work/life balance. That also means sticking to only to the roles and tasks that fit within the parameters of your job requirements. As Filipinos, we’re predisposed to be hospitable and we want to make sure the people we’re taking care of are happy and comfortable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean doing more work than what’s expected of you. You can always say no if a coworker or supervisor asks you to do more work.
3. Maintain a healthy personal life: Being a nurse can be exhausting and the thought of having a personal life seems like a luxury. But it’s an essential self-care element that can immediately de-stress you and take your mind away from your job. If you prefer to spend your time alone, schedule time each week to spend some relaxing time for yourself to focus on a non-nursing hobby. This can also mean engaging with your spiritual self and remain present even when your mind seems to be elsewhere. It can also mean keeping a journal for your thoughts or seeing a professional to work your emotions out. If you’re more extroverted, schedule time to see family and friends. Whatever it is, the key is scheduling time and having a routine-like approach to ensuring you make time for your personal life because that can often fall by the wayside when you’re so wrapped up in your job. Find the best balance for yourself.
4. Get enough sleep! Nursing is often associated with long shifts. Whether it’s the night shift or day shift or the dreaded double shift, it’s exhausting even thinking about how many hours of sleep one may lose as a nurse. Working in tandem with a healthy diet and exercise, sleep is one of the most important things you can do to take care of yourself and ensuring you have enough physical, emotional and mental energy to take on the day, especially as a nurse working long hours. If you’re working a double shift, plan your sleep schedule beforehand so you’re not beat by the end of it. Sleep is the currency for hard-working nurses. Make sure you have enough of it.