Why Work-Life Balance Is Important for Nurses? (part 2)

NURSING MADE EASY

                                      

How to Achieve Work-Life Balance

Your first step in achieving work-life balance is to use your skills as a nurse to evaluate your own priorities. What would you tell a patient if they were experiencing stress from work-life imbalance? What dimension of your wheel of life have you been neglecting? Even if your priority is to advance your career, another aspect of your life, such as your physical or mental health, might be throwing the rest of your life out of balance.

Manage Your Time

Time management is one of the most important aspects of work-life balance as a nurse. When creating your personalized plan, take a look at how you currently spend your time. If you’re spending an inordinate amount of time browsing through social media, unplugging for a few hours a day can relieve stress and free up time for your lifestyle goals. Track how you spend your time to spot activities that are eating up your free time. There’s no shortage of time management apps that can help you do so.

Create Your Personalized Plan

Your next step is to create a personalized plan for improving work-life balance. Start with small, achievable goals. For example, if your goal is to spend more time with your family, you can start by planning meals around the dinner table instead of having everyone eat separately. You’re likely setting yourself up for failure if you expect to achieve work-life balance all at once. Instead, try using evidence-based strategies to create an individualized change process where small successes are built upon to achieve an overall goal.

Optimize Your Work Schedule

Work schedules are one of the most important influences on work-life balance. Many nurses elect to work three 12-hour shifts a week to try to tip the work-life balance scales, thinking that four days off will allow them to make the most of their personal time. A four-day weekend is appealing, but it’s important to consider how exhausting this schedule can be. After a 12-, 14-, or even 16-hour workday followed by a long commute home, many nurses can barely muster the energy to eat a meal, let alone make time for personal commitments. A four-day weekend might very well allow for more personal time, but if a nurse is spending that time recovering, it might not be worth it. 

Night shifts, especially rotating shifts, are particularly detrimental to nurse work-life balance. Nurses working overnight shifts can experience disrupted circadian rhythms, leading to insomnia, illnesses, and accidents. They can also experience psychological issues as a result of being isolated from their loved ones. If you’re having trouble finding your work-life balance, speaking with your supervisor regarding your schedule and personal needs may help.

Develop Your Support System

Nurses are better able to care for patients when they have the guidance, encouragement, and support of a team. It’s no different when improving work-life balance. Lifestyle coaches, trusted friends, and experienced coworkers are all sources of support who can help you achieve your career and lifestyle goals. There will always be caring mentors willing to help people who genuinely want to create positive change in their lives. At The University of Texas Permian Basin, you’ll find them in our RN to BSN program, passing on their experience and supporting nurses as they learn to balance their personal and professional lives.