Challenge Tips

Invest in Long-Term Peer and Leadership Support Congratulations on completing Day 10! We hope you found this challenge both meaningful and impactful. By engaging in The Power of Peers Challenge, you've taken steps to strengthen your professional relationships, improve workplace resilience, and prioritize well-being. Keep practicing these ...

Support a Colleague in Need Recognizing when you need support or a mental health break is important. So is the ability to recognize when your fellow nurses need support. While awareness of mental health issues in nursing continues to grow, stigma still exists. This can make it hard for some nurses to speak up out of fear of retribution, bullying, or even ...

Take a Mental Wellness Break As a nurse, it may be difficult to admit when you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. But this is exactly when you need to speak up — to yourself and to your colleagues — and take steps to restore balance. (This is a great way to lead by example. See Day 6!) A mental health break gives you both physical and emotional distance ...

Join a Peer Support Network A peer support network offers emotional, professional, and practical support for its members. Whether structured or informal, this type of group can help you deal with workplace challenges and avoid burnout. Peer support networks enhance the well-being of all members through community, shared learning, and mutual ...

Lead by Example Nurses play a critical role in health care organizations. Every nurse is a leader, regardless of title. Nurses lead by example every day, in ways that include: Acknowledging the experience or perspective of team members Advocating for patients Mentoring and sharing knowledge Promoting quality care in your unit or organization ...

Recognize Burnout Risk in Yourself and Others Burnout is a real and serious condition, especially for nurses. It is the accumulation of stressors over time, and people who experience workplace burnout typically have these symptoms: Cynicism, which is indifference toward your job, organization, or team Emotional exhaustion Feelings of ...

Assess Your Stress Level With the Stress Continuum Recognizing and addressing stress levels is essential for personal well-being, workplace productivity, and healthy relationships. The Stress Continuum (PDF) , originally developed for the military and first responders, provides a framework to identify and communicate stress levels. It ...

Share Your Coping Strategies The health care environment is a high-stress setting and individuals react to pressure in unique ways. Do you know your colleagues’ different stress responses? Do they know yours? When peers take the time to understand each other’s coping strategies , they can offer more meaningful support, strengthen team dynamics, ...

Reflect on Your Stress Recovery Strategies Everyone experiences stress differently, and each person has unique strategies for restoring calm . Recognizing your individual stress response and knowing what helps you regain balance will help you build resilience (the ability to adapt and recover from challenges). And it just may help you soothe a ...

Identify Your "Go-To" Work Friend Research shows that having a close friendship at work positively impacts job performance, retention, and overall well-being. A report from Gallup found people who strongly agree that they have a “best friend” at work are 7 times more likely to be engaged in their jobs than people who don’t. Workplace friendships are a ...

Practice Self-Compassion for Better Mental Health If you find that you judge yourself harshly for small mistakes, you’re not alone. Everyone has an inner critic , that voice that says you could have done something better. Listening to that critic can cause feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. Self-compassion is the ability to recognize ...

Manage Your Thoughts and Emotions With Mindfulness Mindfulness is an awareness of the present as it happens. Practicing mindfulness gets you “out of your head” by focusing your mind on what your body is experiencing at any given moment. It can be as simple as paying attention to your breathing or listening to the birds and insects when you walk outside. ...

Let Go of Stress Through Laughter and Tears You’ve heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Everyone needs a good laugh now and then, as laughter releases endorphins in the brain, improves mood and lowers blood pressure. Crying provides similar benefits by relieving emotional stress and anxiety. Tears actually help your body flush out the ...

Experience Nature for a Healthy Mental Break The great outdoors offers many health advantages . Spending time in nature provides a physical and mental break from an artificial indoor environment. You benefit from natural light over fluorescent light, fresh air over recycled air, and the sounds of the natural world over ...

Learn Your Way to Better Health and Happiness The need to learn, grow, and explore the world around you never ends. No matter your age, staying curious and open to learning new things can keep you sharp, alert, and happy. Learning something new releases dopamine, a mood-boosting neurotransmitter. Acquiring a new skill or information stimulates your ...

Prioritize Your Physical Health for a Mental Health Boost Did you know that a healthy lifestyle may improve or even prevent some mental health conditions? Your physical health has a direct impact on your mental and emotional well-being. Lifestyle factors that can impact your well-being, for better or worse, include: Alcohol and drug use Diet ...

The Quality of Your Social Connections Matter — Reach Out to Share a Moment with Someone in Your Life A recent study found that engaging in quality conversation each day improves your well-being. Whether it’s sharing a story, listening to and supporting a friend, or seeking emotional support for yourself, connection is the key. Talking with others ...

Make It Stick — The Importance of a Self-Care Routine for Your Well-Being If you feel like you don’t practice self-care enough, you’re not alone. Many nurses admit they don’t routinely care for themselves. The key to making self-care a habit is consistency. Creating a routine can help you stay focused and disciplined . Routines provide comfort and ...

Define Your Motivation — How Will Better Mental Health Impact Your Life? Mental health affects your thoughts, feelings, relationships, work productivity — and virtually every other aspect of life. Prioritizing well-being is important . It helps you handle stress, maintain your physical health, enjoy positive relationships, and feel fulfilled. ...

Assess Your Starting Point — What Is Your Mental Health Status? There are many aspects of mental health that contribute to your sense of well-being. Each person experiences mental health challenges differently, based on biological, social, and environmental factors. Understanding the issues you’re facing can help focus your gratitude, ...

Reflect and Commit to Ongoing Growth You’ve started the process to build psychological safety within your workplace. Celebrate your efforts! Know that maintaining the trust, equity, and openness you’ve helped create is an ongoing process. It requires self-awareness, continuous learning, and intentional action for you and your ...

Model Psychologically Safe Behaviors for your Unit or Team As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” You can help your team embrace psychological safety by modeling inclusive, supportive behaviors. This effort can strengthen trust and teamwork, improve overall patient care, and create a healthier work environment for ...

Day 8 - Seek and Give Constructive Feedback Constructive feedback can be a vital tool for professional development and enhancing patient care. Unlike criticism, constructive feedback acknowledges both strengths and areas for improvement. It focuses on solutions in a respectful and supportive way and removes ambiguity, which in turn reduces ...

Day 7 - Address Conflict With Empathy Conflict happens in health care for many reasons including stress, diverse teams, and high-pressure situations that require quick, effective problem-solving. Interactions among patients, families, nurses, physicians, and administrators can result in emotionally charged situations. Recognizing that ...

Day 6 - Engage in Inclusive Conversations Inclusive communication means engaging with patients, colleagues, and health care teams in a way that respects diversity and ensures everyone feels heard, valued, and respected. Encouraging empathetic and culturally sensitive interactions fosters teamwork, trust, and psychological safety. Using ...

Day 5 - Establish and Respect Healthy Boundaries Psychological safety includes the ability to speak up and set healthy boundaries at work to foster your well-being and the well-being of your team members. For nurses, knowing your limits can help prevent burnout, create an environment of mutual respect and fairness, and reduce misunderstandings and ...

Day 4 - Cultivate a Safe and Open Workplace in Team Conversations A psychologically safe workplace empowers employees to ask questions, suggest changes, innovate, and grow without fear of consequences, like losing their job. When you work with your team, do you notice people asking questions and requesting help in a group setting? Do team members ...

Day 3 - Recognize and Address Bias in Patient Care and Team Dynamics Implicit bias is an unconscious prejudice or negative attitude toward certain types of people. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), implicit bias may result from environmental influences, experiences, or learned associations among social groups. It can ...

Day 2 - Practice Active Listening to Build Trust Active listening is a communication skill that requires the listener to focus, understand, and respond to the speaker with interest and respect. An active listener is fully present and engaged in the conversation, allowing the speaker to feel heard and valued. In a high-stakes environment like health ...

Day 1 - Set the Intention — Define What Psychological Safety Means to You Welcome to day 1 of the Cultivate a Safe and Open Workplace challenge! Psychological safety can mean different things to different people. For some, it may mean feeling comfortable asking for help. For others, it might involve admitting to mistakes without fear of punishment, or ...

Use Effective Strategies to Turn Healthy Food Choices Into Habits You made it to Day 10! You’ve learned how, why, and when your cravings happen. You know how to swap healthy foods in and unhealthy foods out of your diet. So, how do you make these changes stick? A few simple, effective strategies can help you permanently change your behavior. Your Action ...

Day 9 — Rewire Your Cravings and Disrupt Unhealthy Eating Patterns Understanding when and why you experience cravings can help you conquer them. For example, if you know you crave chocolate when you feel stressed, you can address the stress and prevent the craving. The key is to identify the trigger and change your behavior. Your Action for Today Look ...

Make Your Cravings Disappear — With Water Did you know that your body can mistake thirst for hunger? As it turns out, a great way to curb cravings isn’t with food at all. It’s with water. Most people need a minimum of eight, 8-ounce glasses of water each day for optimal health, but physically active nurses may need more. Without enough water, you may feel ...

Avoid Self-Sabotage With Healthy On-the-Go Snack Ideas Nurses are busy people. Juggling the responsibilities of work and personal life can make meal planning a challenge. Help yourself avoid the fast-food drive-thru by stocking your car, gym bag, purse, and desk with simple, nourishing snacks. Your Action for Today Prepare an arsenal of ...

Eat Meals That Prevent Unhealthy Cravings Since cravings are tied to drops in blood sugar, eating the right foods at mealtime can prevent drops and unhealthy urges. Aim for smaller, more frequent meals (at least 3) to sustain you all day and night. Your Action for Today Focus on meals comprised of slow-burning fuel in the form of protein, healthy fat, and ...

Snack Better: Tips for Healthy Midday Munchies and Late-Night Bites Nothing sabotages healthy eating goals like those late-afternoon and midnight junk food binges. The culprit is usually low blood sugar . It can make you hangry enough to tear into a bag of chips or box of cookies despite your best-laid plans. With a little preparation, you can win the ...

Drink to Your Health: The Best Substitutes for Juice and Sodas That sugary 3 p.m. soda may keep you moving during a long shift, but it’s wreaking havoc on your body. A single can contains nearly double the recommended daily amount of sugar for women and more than 100% for men. While your morning fruit juice contains vitamins, it’s also very high in sugar and ...

Swap Salty Foods for Healthy Alternatives Eating potato chips and other fried, high-sodium foods may feel comforting, but that comfort comes at a price. They increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity — while offering no nutritional value. Your Action for Today Satisfy your salty cravings with nutritious savory foods that ...

Satisfy a Sweet Craving With Tasty, Nutritious Treats If you have a sweet tooth, chances are you face temptation on every shift. Candy and pastries are often in abundance in health care settings. Nurses educate patients on proper nutrition, so it’s important to lead by example. Become a model for others by conquering your sugar craving with simple food ...

Stock Your Kitchen to Successfully Manage Cravings The first step in resisting junk food is to keep healthy alternatives that you enjoy eating on hand and easily accessible. When nutritious and delicious options are readily available, you are more likely to make better food choices. Your Action for Today Set yourself up for success by stocking your ...

Day 10 - Celebrate your wins and beat your best You've made it to day 10 — Congratulations! You’re building a habit of stepping for better health, and today is all about pushing yourself further. How? By challenging yourself to beat your personal best. Setting a new goal is impactful no matter how small. It can reignite motivation and give you a sense of ...

Day 9 - Give Yourself Grace We all have days when things don’t go as planned, and it’s easy to get frustrated with ourselves. Maybe you missed a walk, didn’t hit your step goal, or you struggled to stick with your routine. Here’s a gentle reminder: It’s OK. Progress isn’t always linear, and you don’t have to be perfect to do well. Having internal grace is all ...

Day 8 - Walk Together, Win Together Walking alone can be peaceful and reflective, but there’s something special about moving in sync with someone else. Maybe it’s a coworker during a lunch break, a family member after dinner, or even your dog. No matter who it is, walking with a buddy turns a simple stroll into a shared experience. Studies show that ...

Day 7 - Make Each Step More Meaningful Walking is about physical movement, but it’s also an opportunity to nurture your mind and relationships. Each step can serve as a chance to reflect, connect with others, or immerse yourself in something that brings joy or calm. Why does this matter? Incorporating reflection, connection, or entertainment into ...

Day 6 - Pick Up the Pace Did you know that how fast you walk can make a big difference in how much you benefit from it? A brisk walk gets your heart pumping and boosts your cardiovascular health. The sweet spot is referred to as "moderate-intensity exercise." That’s when you can talk but not sing. Why does pace matter? Research shows that walking at a brisk ...

Day 5 - Walk With Micro-Dosing Mindfulness We often think of mindfulness as something we have to sit and do for long stretches of time. But "micro-dosing" mindfulness — short, focused moments of awareness — works well, too. As you walk today, try incorporating positive affirmations or simple breathing exercises into your routine. Even a few minutes of ...

Day 4 - See Progress, Feel More Motivated Have you ever noticed how satisfying it is to cross something off your to-do list or watch a progress bar fill up? That little surge of accomplishment isn’t just in your head — it’s rooted in psychology. Research shows that visualizing progress can significantly boost motivation by triggering a sense of ...

Day 3 - Step Up Your Game What if we said there’s a way to make walking even more fun and worthwhile? Setting mini goals for yourself can add a spark of motivation and help you go farther than you thought possible. It’s like giving your strolls a playful purpose! These mini goals can boost your confidence and make each walk feel like a small victory. Plus, ...

Day 2 - Switch Up Your Strides Walking the same path every day might be convenient, but let’s face it — it can get boring fast. The good news? Switching up your routes is so refreshing that it might motivate you to move even more. Exploring new trails, neighborhoods, or even just walking the opposite direction on a familiar path adds variety to your routine ...

Day 1 - Set a SMART Goal Welcome to Day 1 of the Start With a Step Challenge! We’re kicking things off by setting clear, actionable goals, aka SMART goals. Starting here will give you direction and help you track your progress. What exactly is a SMART goal? It’s a goal that’s S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant, and T ime-bound. When you break down ...