Unfortunately, nurses do not receive the appreciation they deserve in many societies, even though they are as crucial healthcare members as anyone else. There is no arguing that a nurse’s job is exhausting, laborious, and strenuous. Yet, we always see nurses giving their hundred percent and remaining devoted to their jobs.
Several reports refer to nursing as a stressful, backbreaking yet gratifying profession. However, being unable to manage stress can create obstacles in a nurse’s career path. Stress can lead to anxiety, exhaustion, short temper, unwillingness to complete work, burnout, and other adverse effects. All of it affects their job performance and productivity. Therefore, to preserve efficiency, nurses must maintain a sufficient work-life balance.
Work-life balance not only helps in boosting productivity but also increases employee accountability and commitment. Further, it results in better staff retention, more profitability, increased morale, and reduced absenteeism. However, while work-life balance is pivotal in the nursing profession, it is not simple to achieve. Because a nurse’s job is highly demanding, maintaining a balance between professional and personal lives can often become challenging.
- Invest in education
As mentioned previously, nursing is a challenging career. There is immense competition, and with the increasing advancements in technology, the nursing landscape is changing rapidly. To keep up with this fast-paced, altering environment, nurses must continue their education. They must strive to learn the latest practices and trends to provide optimal services and care to patients.
Fortunately, in today’s time, nurses can complete basic to advance level degrees and programs online with the same degree recognition. For instance, they can opt for a bachelor science in nursing online and receive the same education they would have in a physical, in-class setting.
Investing in education helps nurses become competent, provide better patient care, and allows them to understand clinical processes further. It also yields personal benefits such as self-satisfaction, contentedness, less stress, and an increment in pay rates. They can better understand their work and divide time between work and personal commitments. Moreover, continuing education helps nurses maintain licensure, keep their knowledge up-to-date, and become reliable sources of information.
- Invest in self-care
One area that most nurses lack is self-care. Often, nurses become excessively involved in their work that they find it tough to get enough sleep or even eat well. However, both lack of sleep and poor diet is unhealthy for nurses’ well-being. Nurses can become impatient, go through constant mood changes, and experience exhaustion. It can also affect their thinking and concentration, which can cause hindrances in job performance and weaken physical and mental health.
As the National Sleep Foundation recommends, nurses must get at least seven to nine hours of adequate sleep. Moreover, nurses must also consume a healthy and sufficient diet, preferably nutrition-filled. It would be best if nurses could take a few minutes from their busy schedules and work out. Mornings are usually the best time for exercise. Remember, exercise doesn’t necessarily mean a good training session. Instead, it could also be a ten-to-fifteen-minute walk. The purpose is to refresh your body and mind and prepare for the day ahead.
- Don’t delay resolving conflict
In a medical profession such as nursing, conflicts arise either with patients or other hospital staff. However, your responsibility as a nurse is to resolve the conflict as soon as possible.
Remember, how you deal with the conflict matters most for your peace of mind. Ensure you are respectful in conveying your opinion and your side of the story. If something minor will not affect you in the long term, it is sometimes best to let go. However, learn to be patient and respectful of more significant inconveniences. The first rule is not to blame or name call, give information, listen to the other side, show that you are listening, and talk it through.
It is best to clear the air before things take a nasty turn. Avoiding conflict is never the solution. Instead, it can worsen the case further. Hence, clarify the situation, identify a solution or common ground, and continue to monitor the conflict.
- Schedule
Creating a realistic schedule can be of significant help when maintaining a work-life balance. Nurses have challenging and demanding careers with late call hours, rotating shifts, minimal resources, and sometimes, a lack of support from supervisors. All of it can become overwhelming quickly and get hectic.
Therefore, creating a schedule helps. Monitor yourself for a few days and see what shift time works best for you. For some, it is the night calls, while others operate better in the morning call hours. Request your supervisors for shifts at a time where you are most efficient. For the rest of the day, take care of yourself and rest. However, it is highly essential to be realistic about the hours you want to work. You must figure out a time to maximize your productivity to not compromise on your work quality.
- Don’t shy away from getting help
Stress, anxiety, and depression are all real illnesses. There is no embarrassment in admitting that you are suffering from one, even if you are a medical professional. Stress can take a toll on nurses’ mental health and often land them in other health-deteriorating positions.
So, don’t shy away from asking for help. Mental health experts can help you overcome such issues most effectively. You will no longer struggle alone. You can build stronger relations, improve your quality of life, and reduce the risk of further medical issues.
Also, consider talking to your nursing manager. Try expressing the challenges you have been facing and ask for guidance and consultation. Your manager might give you some time off to take care of your health and reevaluate your priorities. Sometimes, a little time-off is all that one needs.
Wrapping up
Nurses who cannot maintain a sufficient work-life balance are generally unhappier and not content with their jobs. And rightfully so, since working at all times in a gruelingly hectic and unpredictable environment can take a massive toll on anyone.
It is crucial for nurses to remain happy and content with their roles, directly affecting patient care and productivity. Unhappy nurses are also not able to effectively communicate with teams, conduct thorough patient assessments, and increase the likelihood of mistakes.
Therefore, the best strategy is to find a work-life balance by using your time as efficiently as possible. It is pivotal in providing quality outcomes and maintaining standards of work.
