HOW TO ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE AS A NURSE
No matter where you work in the world, finding a healthy work-life balance as a Registered Nurse may sound easy, but it does take a lot of effort and being intentional with your thoughts, energy, time, and commitments. For some, finding a balance may mean spending time with family or friends, going hiking or having a beach day, meditating or taking a yoga class, etc. Every person and every nurse is different, but it is important that we all have a conversation with ourselves and ask, what am I doing outside of work to ensure that I meet all of my needs so that I can have a long and prosperous career as a Registered Nurse?
It is important to take care of yourself, and be mindful of how important finding an appropriate work-life balance really is. It was something that I had originally overlooked at the start of my nursing career, but I am so thankful that I have invested in spending my time the way I choose too when I am away from the hospital. I found that by doing things that made me, my productivity and happiness at work quickly improved. You have a long and an exciting journey ahead of you as you become a Medliant US Registered Nurse, and we at the Medliant team want you to be well prepared to succeed in America! - Nurse Brennan
Here are 10 tips from 10 nurses in North America on how to achieve work-life balance as a nurse:
1. "Find your hobbies outside of work to leave work at work! I personally love to workout, take my dog for walks, and workout on my circuit machine! I try not to watch Netflix every week, and enjoy finding other ways of relaxing!" - USA Nurse
2. "Finding a work-life balance is all about organization and planning. I myself went through nursing school with a young child and graduate school while getting married at the beginning and pregnant at the end! My ability to study, complete clinical, and turn in assignments all depended on my level of organization and planning. The first step was having a planner where I literally kept track of each thing I had to do from personal tasks, to school, and work. I also set a routine of getting up at a certain time to start my day in a manner that truly allows me to be successful. With all of this in place the days I had to wind down and relax feel so refreshing because I know I have everything in order!" - USA Nurse
3. "Give yourself time to recover after a stressful day of work!" - USA Nurse
4. "As a nurse, you cannot take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. Make it a point to prioritize your own health to better care for your patients." - USA Nurse
5. "Find something that brings you joy outside of work. Whether its physical activity, reading, creating something or spending time with loved ones. It is so important to maximize your time off with things that fill your cup so you are energized for work!" - Canadian Nurse
6. "I have to make sure that when I am at home, I am fully present. I spend time doing activities with my son and doing whatever it is that he likes, and I also make sure I find time to practice my hobby, photography, so that works as both my stress reliever and brings me happiness." - USA Nurse
7. "In order to find work-life balance as a nurse I take advantage of when I have consecutive days off to relax and see my friends and family. I also think it’s important to leave work at work and be able to enjoy your social life without worrying about your work." - USA Nurse
8. "In order to find a balance, you have to set your priorities. It’s essential and necessary to have time for yourself, with your family, friends, etc. Whether you want to spend time alone with your favorite book or with others, dedicating that time for yourself is crucial in finding a healthy balance." - USA Nurse
9. "Balance means different things to different people. Be kind to yourself and don’t feel like you need to book up every free second you have with plans, unless that is what makes you feel your best. Personally, I struggle with this sometimes because when the time comes, I may not want to do those plans anymore, then on top of feeling tired from work it’s combined with the stress of canceling or rescheduling plans. I enjoy when things happen organically such as seeing friends, spending time to myself, and doing what I feel like that day." - USA Nurse
10. "Finding a work-life balance is not a one time thing. It is a constant, ongoing balancing act and sometimes the scale will tip more one way or more the other way. I think the biggest thing is to recognize when the scales are tipping too far in one direction and to be active in making the changes to bring you back to a centre balance. We’re all working on it!" - USA Nurse
If you are ready to begin your application to become a US Registered Nurse with Medliant International Healthcare Staffing please reach out to us on the Medliant Website, Facebook (Medliant International Healthcare Staffing), or Instagram (@medliant).
You can also email your resume to nursebrennan@medliant.com to start making your American Dream come true!
Nurse Brennan Belliveau
Email: nursebrennan@medliant.com
Medliant International Healthcare Solution
