Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™ - #healthynurse Spotlight Series - Lesa Stevenson, RN, CPC, COC, CCS, AHFI
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Manager prioritizes work/life balance through team bonding, exercise, and volunteerism
You’ve survived 100% of your bad days.
That’s the motto that motivates #healthynurse Lesa Stevenson, RN, CPC, COC, CCS, AHFI, and keeps her grounded.
A few years ago, when Lesa first became a manager, she was working early hours, long days, not taking lunch breaks, and gaining weight. She was always tired and stressed, and it wasn’t long before she burned out.
Lesa’s husband could see she was struggling, so he bought her a stationary exercise bike and a subscription to live, on-demand workouts. She tried a 20-minute ride for her first class, and it was so tough, she laid on the floor afterwards. What did she get herself into? The cycling itself was challenging, but the inspirational messages from the instructor gave Lesa the strength to get back on the bike again the next day.
And again.
Soon, Lesa was hooked on the cycling workouts, which feel a lot like therapy. You get the physical benefits of the ride, but you also get the emotional and mental benefits of the uplifting messages.
“The instructors talk about their personal stories, their trials and tribulations, and I relate to a lot of it,” says Lesa. “Now I ride 4 or 5 times a week for 45 minutes each time, with a 10-minute cooldown.”
Getting on her spin bike is the boost she needs to kick off each day. It’s given Lesa the energy to improve other areas of her life, too.
Volunteering to Boost Mental and Emotional Health
For years, Lesa has volunteered for animal organizations like the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. She currently volunteers once a week at ZooTampa, where she educates visitors on the conservation of Florida panthers. She has always had a passion for animals and the environment, and working with her passion improves her well-being.
“I love teaching people about our environment and educating children about the 3 panthers they see at the zoo,” says Lesa. “It’s a way for me to give back and make a difference.”
Not only does giving back benefit society — it also benefits Lesa. She works from home for her day job, so going to the zoo to volunteer allows her to have human connection in a relaxed atmosphere. People are happy to be at the zoo and learn about the panthers. Lesa loves it so much; she plans to continue volunteering there long after she retires from her nursing job.
“Many people retire, and they lose who they are,” says Lesa. “But I’ll get to be more of who I am. I get to spend time with those majestic animals. If that doesn’t heal my soul, I don’t know what will.”
Promoting a Culture of Work/Life Balance
Even at her day job, Lesa finds meaning behind her role as a manager. Hailing from Canada, Lesa grew up with a European approach to working. It places more value on work/life balance compared to the approach here in the United States. She stands by this sense of balance 100% and strives to bring it to the rest of her team at Humana.
“We do a monthly team-building workshop, and I let my team members pick what they want to focus on,” says Lesa. “At first I chose some health and wellness TED Talks, then we started doing ice breakers like 2 truths and a lie to get to know each other better.”
The workshops have not only helped the team connect on a social level, but they’ve helped instill the work/life balance Lesa values. She teaches her team that it’s OK to take a break and:
- Step away from your computer
- Take a short walk
- Sit on your patio and get some fresh air
- Celebrate milestones, even if they’re not work-related
- Support one another
Her team, which is spread out across the world, celebrates holidays from different cultures at work by first learning about them. For example, if one of her employees in the Philippines is celebrating a holiday from their culture, Lesa will explain to the rest of the team what it means. Lesa also adds personal touches to birthday celebrations by mailing out handwritten cards.
“Being a part of a community, whether I’m at work or livestreaming a cycling class with people from across the world, makes me feel good,” says Lesa. “It’s not always easy, but I’ve survived 100% of my bad days.”
Lesa Stevenson, RN, CPC, COC, CCS, AHFI, is the clinical coding fraud waste manager at Humana.
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#healthynurse Spotlight
06/15/2023 10:25pm CDT
The #healthynurse Spotlight is a shout out to nurses who are making changes in their lives to improve their health and wellness. You can too! Read their stories for inspiration here.
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