Self-care in general has definitely developed a stigma for all the wrong reasons. People are quick to think it’s all just bubble baths and journaling.
When you add busy nurses into it, the meaning of self-care gets really lost.
Nurses are struggling to know what to do so they can prioritize themselves.
To clarify things and help you out, I’m sharing the best self-care ideas for nurses!
What Is Self-Care For Nurses?
Self-care for nurses is life habits and practices that help manage the emotions the healthcare system can cause. Some of the common emotions nurses face are:
- high stress
- emotional exhaustion
- fatigue
- apathy
- frustration
- low self-esteem
Nurses are givers, and if the daily work consists of constant giving, it is almost required to give back to yourself.
If you don’t, you’ll run yourself dry and get burnt out, which so many nurses are unfortunately suffering from.
Self-care for nurses is practices and habits that fill up your cup so that you can continue being a great nurse with a happy spirit.
Without self-care, nurses grow more and more bitter and angry towards themselves and their lives.
I can guarantee you have met or come across an older, bitter nurse who makes you wonder “Why are you still working as a nurse if you hate it so much?”
You see, these types of nurses may not hate their job.
Instead, they just haven’t properly taken care of themselves to maintain their best selves and stop the stress from crushing their spirit.
You do not want to end up here.
Just being a nurse and working in healthcare does not mean you are going to grow into a high-stress, miserable person. The healthcare system does not define you.
I can just hear all the nurses saying “you can’t self-care yourself out of unsafe staffing and high patient loads”. I hear you, I really do.
This is when mindset shift comes into play. No, self-care is not going to make unsafe staffing go away. What it is going to do is keep you healthy and clear-minded to help you reach your happiness.
The way you react to the stressors is what matters the most.
We all know working in healthcare is tough as hell and it takes a certain type of person to make it out alive. So let’s be that person!
Let’s be that person who takes care of themselves, knows how to manage stress, and puts themselves first.
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How Self Care Impacts Nurses
Nurses can often feel like they are on autopilot. It’s a state they may even choose to go in because it helps with stress.
Personally, I’d go into autopilot mode because it’d make me more numb and immune to the stress until I was home and in my own thoughts. It was incredibly unhealthy and not sustainable whatsoever.
Fast forward to a phase I was extremely burnt out. Looking back, I know why. I didn’t prioritize myself or any self-care.
When self-care actions are practiced, they form into habits.
Over time, these daily habits become a lifestyle, and the benefits are:
- managing stress better
- having control over your emotions
- understanding you can solve your problems
- realizing you are loved and supported
- find clarity in your nursing path
- build boundaries and standards
- increase self-confidence
These benefits sound incredible, don’t they? It sounds like everything you want in life and your career as a nurse, right?
They are so attainable for you and you are so capable of building this incredible life for yourself.
Let’s learn how nurses should prioritize themselves and self-care ideas for nurses!
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Self-Care Ideas For Nurses
One thing first! Take all of these ideas with an open mind.
Don’t get caught up in the details. None of them are as daunting as they may seem, especially once you start practicing them.
Soon enough, you will see their benefits and your life will start changing!
1. Plan Out Your Days
The reason planners help with people’s stress levels is because it makes all of the tasks you need to complete less intimidating or daunting.
When things are just bouncing around in your head, they are hard to grasp. When things are hard to grasp, they seem difficult and stressful.
To remove this type of difficulty from your day, write out all of the things you need to do in a planner. I promise that things will feel a lot less scary and a lot less stressful.
When you can visualize what needs to get done, they are more “attackable.” You want to SEE your target in order to attack it, don’t you?
If there are 15 things you need to do today, sure that is a busy day and stress can creep in. But if you plan for them, you are more likely to manage the stress level from increasing and actually complete your tasks.
You may even use a planner at work. A planner can be anything, from a post-it note to a notebook, to a dated planner.
The key is to organize your day by planning for it.
2. Talk About Your Problems Out Loud
Releasing negative energy and using someone as a soundboard is extremely beneficial.
Talking about problems does not exactly make them go away, but they make them more manageable.
We are in our own minds 24/7, so it is helpful to hear other people’s input on your situation and take their advice.
We are not always right, and we must not be stubborn in this. Seek the help you need!
We can get so caught up in our own thoughts and opinions that we don’t realize there is a whole world of other perspectives and suggestions we are closing off on.
And sometimes, talking about your problems out loud actually makes you realize how they’re not that big of a deal.
It happens to me ALL the time!
3. Focus On Your Interests
Although nursing is a heavy part of your identity and interests, it is not all that you are.
You are more than a nurse.
Look back at who you were before you ever started nursing school. What music did you love? What were your hobbies? What made you happy?
Oftentimes, life gets so busy and stress gets so intense that we forget what we even like to do.
Revisiting those things can bring back a sense of peace.
For example, I love to go hiking, cook new recipes, catch sunsets, ride my bike and watch nostalgic movies.
All of these things make me feel really good and whole, and they remind me of who I really am.
It’s so important to reconnect with yourself as much as you can.
I read something really inspiring the other day along the lines of “Happiness was never about your job, your degree, your relationships, or being like others…happiness was always about learning how to live with yourself. It was always about you.”
This is so powerful because everything in life is an add-on to YOU.
You are the main character of your life, and how you respond, react, and behave with the add-ons (like your job, friends, experiences, etc) is what decides your happiness.
As a kid, we aren’t mentally developed enough to think about the things we think about as adults. We are just present.
We fully enjoy our moments, like cruising down the hill on our bikes or hanging out with friends at the mall.
As adults, and as nurses, we are SO caught up in the responsibilities, the worries, and the things that can cause us stress.
Take a second and step back. Do something that you once loved. And then… keep doing it. It’s really going to improve your life and your mental health.
4. Give Yourself Some Much-Needed Time Off
Whether you are physically tired or mentally exhausted, give yourself some much-needed time off.
Recognizing when you need time off is the first step.
You must learn your behaviors when you are losing touch with yourself and stress is building.
Are you more prone to picking fights? Are you crying a lot? Are you eating more unhealthy? Are you eating less?
Think about what you do when you are stressed so that you can easily recognize it.
Then it’s all about giving yourself what your body is asking for….which is rest.
My definition of rest can mean:
- sleep
- quality time with loved ones
- doing something you love
- cleaning
- reading
- getting away
Rest means anything that unplugs you from a stressor.
If work is your stressor right now, take some time off. Remember, work is always going to be there, but you and your happiness may not if you don’t take care of it.
5. Simply Listen To Music
Okay, this tip is as simple as it sounds. I don’t mean listening to the radio on your drive home. I mean consciously listening to music.
For all of my people who aren’t into meditation, this is especially for you.
Go on your music platform (Youtube, Apple Music, Spotify…) and find some calming music. There are TONS of playlists nowadays.
I find it so incredibly healing and therapeutic to sit down in a room, pop in my headphones, and listen to calming music.
One of my favorite playlists on Spotify is this Deep Focus one.
Music helps alleviate stress and the pressures you may be dealing with. It takes the mind into a different world.
That’s why there is an actual thing called music therapy! It does wonders.
You Can Start Today
If you’re ever wondered how nurses should prioritize themselves, I hope this post helped give you some answers.
It can be hard to figure out what to even do, so sharing effective self-care ideas for nurses felt right to me.
How nurses should prioritize themselves varies from nurse to nurse, which is why you have to explore and learn what works best for you!
It is never too late to start bettering your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a brand new nurse or a seasoned nurse.
Your nursing career is going to change and evolve constantly. How you feel will change as you experience new and different things.
There will be periods of confidence, and there will also be periods of insecurity.
You’ll have terrible days, and you’ll have good days.
Managing all of these ups and downs all while constantly asking yourself “Am I doing enough?” or “Why don’t I feel valued?” can really take a toll on you.
Your job is to take back that control because you can.
You are here on this Earth today. That is a gift, and do not let it go to waste by dragging through each day stressed, sad, miserable, or tired.
You can change your life, and it starts and ends with YOU.
Self-care for nurses is so incredibly important, so I hope you practice some of these ideas soon!
Why Being a Healthy Nurse Is Important
How To Prevent Healthcare Provider Burnout
How Nurses Can Prioritize Their Mental Health
QUESTION: Do you practice any different self-care methods? Share them below!
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