How to Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Nurse in the New Year

‍

Have you ever felt burnt out from work or unfulfilled in life? This could be an aftermath of poor work-life balance. Keep reading this blog post to find out how nurses can achieve work-life balance in the new year.

‍

A healthy work-life balance is the ability to set clear boundaries between one's work and personal life. This means having great management skills that allow you to attend to work and still have a good time for self-care and other things that hold dear to you. In the healthcare world, where there is always something to do, achieving a healthy work-life balance can sometimes be a hassle for nurses, but it is not impossible.

How to Achieve a Healthy Work-Life Balance for Nurses

As a nurse in 2024, achieving a healthy work-life balance is not a luxury but a necessity for a productive and fulfilling life. A healthy work-life balance helps you reduce burnout, fatigue, and stress-related health issues. 

‍

While this subject usually focuses on workaholics who spend so much time working without taking time to rest, it is also important to know that it also affects people who rest so much that they can not find time to work. To be a successful and happy nurse in 2024, here are a few tips to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Create a daily schedule

To maintain a healthy work-life balance this year, create a daily plan for essential activities and allocate time for each. Save this list on your phone or any management applications for alerts on what to do next and by when. This helps in time management and also serves as a reminder to attend to other important aspects of your life.

Have a weekly self-care routine

Due to the demanding nature of nursing, you may not have consistent time off like people in other professions. However, make it a priority to practice at least 3 hours of self-care weekly during your free time. This could include going to the gym for an hour, spending time with family, dressing up to hang out with friends, pouring yourself a glass of wine with a good movie to go with it, and other things that nourish your mind.

Communicate your boundaries

Having boundaries in place is not enough if you do not communicate them when and where necessary. Do not hesitate to communicate with your coworkers when you are unavailable to respond to work-related issues. The same holds true for your friends and family members, who may be a distraction while you are working. Also, learn to say no when asked to do things beyond your current capacity. This will help you stay focused on what you have at hand so that you can have time and energy for other things.

Simplify your life with relevant tools and resources

The nursing profession is naturally demanding; however, you can employ the use of technology and related tools to simplify your work processes. For example, arranging your patients' medication in a medication tray can save you the time of administering them frequently. Technology can also be used to monitor your patient's health. Ordering groceries online, instead of going to the store yourself, is another way to free up more time for yourself.

Master self-discipline

At the end of the day, the goal of achieving a healthy work-life balance as a nurse lies in the level of discipline you have to follow through with your plans. Make it a priority to be consistent in your self-care routine, spend less time scrolling through social media, complete your daily tasks, and make time for family and friends. Rewarding yourself when you get things done and reprimanding yourself when you falter is also a good way to ensure discipline.

“Everything in life... has to have balance.”

—Donna Karan

Conclusion

Balance is what makes life go around. A little here and a little there is what work-life balance truly means. This post has just shown you how to achieve work-life balance as a nurse in the new year. For more helpful tips like this, please visit our blog for nurses at Natty Nurses.