Rediscover Your Passion for Caregiving

After all the time and energy it took to become a nurse, you deserve to be happy and enjoy what you do. The first step to rediscovering your passion for caregiving is to reduce stress from your job. Here are four ways you can reduce stress and enjoy life just a little more:

1) Develop Wellness Practices

Wellness practices are routines that everyone can benefit from. For instance, it’s important to take just a couple of minutes out of your day to do something for yourself, whether it’s a short breathing exercise, a workout program, a yoga routine or even a mobile game. Taking that time is a small way to claim mental space for yourself during the day.

It’s also important to maintain a healthy diet and helpful to be social and find ways to smile and laugh with your coworkers during the day.

2) Choose a New Hobby

Dedicating time to enjoying a new activity can help you relax and reset. Even if it doesn’t help solve understaffing, working conditions or whatever is causing you stress in the workplace, it’s still a great way to provide some balance to your life. Not to mention, hobbies can turn into a side gig that can earn you a little extra income.

3) Start a Dialogue

It’s important to start a dialogue with your facility’s administrators, your peers and your director of nursing. Opening the door for a constructive and productive conversation can be a major first step towards changing your facility’s practices to reduce stress for you and your fellow nursing professionals in real, effective ways.

4) Find Flexible Nursing Roles

It’s important to evaluate what’s most important to you and find an employer that supports your lifestyle. If you need more schedule flexibility to spend time with your loved ones or to live the life you want to live, explore job opportunities that support that need.