3 Ways to Keep You Invigorated
One thing that nurses face due to long hours or difficult work situations (whether it is co-worked related or patient related), nurse burnout is real. While there are a variety ways to combat nurse burnout, this post is more to keep you from being burnt out.
My top 3 ways I fight against nurse burnout are as follows…
Workout! Whether it’s the first thing you do when you wake up or the first thing you do when you get home. WORK OUT! You can do yoga, lift weights, walk, run, or join a HIIT class. What do we tell our patients? Take care of yourself. Exercise 30 minutes a day 4-5 times a week to stave off chronic illnesses. Exercising will help you feel better. If we can say this to our patients, that we can certainly take our own advice. Trust me, you feel better.
Hydrate. This does not include soda, coffee, or juice. I mean, hydrate yourself with WATER! I am 43 years old and I’ve been drinking water like it’s going out of style since I was 14 years old and I don’t look like I’m 43. Granted, I know genetics plays a huge role in this but, water has played a huge part as well. If you’re not into your looks, let me tell you the other benefits of water. It gives you energy! Who doesn’t need energy after working three 12-hour shifts or months straight without a vacation. Also, drinking water can help with weight loss. I can’t tell you how many sweets pass through the office daily. Regular water intake promotes fullness and makes it easier for you to say no. And, we all need to learn to say no sometimes!
Meditate or Practice Yoga. We talked about your body and energy, now lets talk about your mind. Your thoughts determine your attitude. If you’re physically tired, you mind is going to be mentally exhausted. You can probably work through your physically tiredness but, not sure if you’ll be able to make good decisions when your brain is fatigued. I meditate 5 minutes during the day to keep my mind invigorated. I practice a breathing technique that I learned with Calm app. You breathe in for 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and then exhale for 5 seconds. I can’t tell you how much that helps calm my mind and helps me get centered. Yoga is also a good way to combine mental mindfulness and physical mindfulness. Whether you spend time on your mat by yourself or in class, the results are amazing.
Let me know how you invigorate your life to stave off burnout. What are your favorite ways to find peace of mind and/or stay healthy. Nurses are known to not put our health first. We need to change that kind of thinking. We need to practice what we preach.