Challenge Tips

Be Kind to Future You Kindness toward yourself includes planning for your future well-being — because true self-care isn’t just reactive, it’s proactive . While it’s fine to soothe yourself when you're already exhausted or overwhelmed, self-care does its best work before you get to the point of no return. Proactive self-care happens when you take ...

Celebrate Someone’s Strength In a challenging and high-stress environment like healthcare, it can be easy to forget to acknowledge the people around you. Celebrating others for their strengths, gifts, and achievements builds a culture of trust and respect. It motivates your team to continue giving 110%. Nurses can lose sight of the difference they ...

Show Kindness Through Listening Lending an empathetic ear can be the best act of kindness when a friend, patient, or colleague needs support. Active listening , where you stay focused and engaged when someone else is speaking, shows you care about the other person’s thoughts and feelings. Listening with the intention of understanding someone’s ...

Start a Workplace Kindness Wave Healthcare organizations benefit from a culture built on kindness , according to international research. Kindness leads to less stress, reduced burnout, and greater trust among healthcare workers. It also results in better patient outcomes. Whether you’re in management or serve as a frontline care provider, you ...

Practice Kindness in Your Community Research has shown that kindness is contagious and can have a ripple effect throughout a community. Giving back offers benefits to both the giver and the recipient, motivating both parties to continue spreading kindness. Modeling kindness can help foster a more collaborative and cooperative community that ...

Forgive a Peer or Loved One Forgiveness is the intentional act of releasing resentment and anger toward someone who hurt you. Letting go of pain may be hard, but holding onto it can cause lasting bitterness and lessen your ability to experience joy. Releasing your anger improves your mental and emotional well-being and brings you peace of mind. Your ...

Spread Kindness at Work Nurses face intense emotional and physical demands at work. When they feel supported and respected, both morale and patient experience improve. A supportive team can be a grounding force. It creates a workplace where care flows not just to patients, but also among colleagues. Your Action for Today Consider ways to turn your ...

Offer Kindness to a Stranger Now that you’ve nourished yourself with kindness and compassion, it’s time to share this same goodwill with others. A random act of kindness is a gesture of goodwill with no expectation of reward or payment from the recipient. The act itself produces a “reward” by boosting oxytocin and serotonin (“feel-good” hormones) and ...

Forgive Yourself With Compassion Sometimes, we are our own worst critics. Learning from our mistakes is important for growth and development. But dwelling on blunders can sabotage our happiness and sense of fulfillment. On the other hand, self-forgiveness can improve mental and emotional well-being and reduce stress and anxiety. A recent study ...

Be Kind to Yourself First Nurses are natural caregivers — it’s in the job description. Many nurses put the well-being of others first, often to the detriment of their own health. However, research shows that nurses provide better care when they are physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. Provision 5 of the American Nurses Association’s Code ...

Reflect and Celebrate You made it to Day 10! That is reason to celebrate. Celebrating your wins is important for future success. Acknowledging a job done well helps reinforce the positive behaviors that led to your achievement. Your Action for Today Write down your hydration wins. Did you experience clearer skin, fewer headaches, or better energy? ...

Audit Your Routine It’s time to pause and review your efforts over the past 8 days. Identifying what’s working (and what’s not) can make the difference when it comes to lasting habit change . You can’t improve what you don’t understand. An audit of your hydration routine will show where you can tweak and adapt new behaviors to make your water habit stick. ...

Hydrate With Intention Mindful intention can transform a simple habit into a powerful daily ritual. Consciously choosing to hydrate — not just because you're thirsty, but because you know it supports your health — reinforces the why behind your actions. When you link drinking water to an aspect of wellness, it creates a stronger, lasting habit. It ...

Lead the Way to Better Hydration When you step up as a role model for others, you naturally become more consistent, more mindful, and more motivated. Studies have shown that being watched by others makes us perform better and work harder. This concept can work for hydration, too. Setting an example for your friends or teammates can help everyone ...

Hit Your Hydration Target With Technology Don’t just hope you remember to drink enough fluids each day. You’ve got tech on your side! There are several smart tools that can help you hit your hydration goals — and have a little fun. Take advantage of apps, smart bottles, and cheeky reminders that behave more like a friend and less like a nag. Turn hydration ...

Steer Clear of Sneaky Dehydrators When it comes to hydration, not all drinks and snacks are your friends — some are sneaky little moisture thieves in disguise! Those salty chips, super-caffeinated iced coffees, and energy drinks kick water right out of your system. (How rude.) And let’s not even get started with cocktails. Alcohol can be a huge ...

Stack Your Habits for Success If you find that forgetting to drink water is an obstacle on your path to hydration, try habit stacking ! With this behavioral technique, you attach a desired habit (hydrating) to an established routine. Stacking habits can help rewire your brain to incorporate the new habit faster. Your Action for Today Stack your ...

Hack Your Hydration Did you discover on Day 2 that you need to up your hydration game? Chances are, the idea of guzzling liters of plain water doesn’t exactly spark joy. Don’t sweat it. You can meet your daily water quota with some tasty, fun hacks. The key is to make hydration enjoyable, so you look forward to your next sip. Your Action for Tonight Set ...

Calculate Your Water Intake Needs So, how much water does a person need to drink each day? The answer: It depends. While you may have heard everyone should consume 8 8-ounce glasses, this may not be enough. Experts now suggest factoring in several variables, including: Your environment: If you live in a hot, humid, dry, or high-altitude area, your ...

Know Your Baseline Hydration Level Everyone knows drinking (enough) water every day is critical for many aspects of health. Staying hydrated improves body temperature regulation, lubricates your joints, and helps your organs function. It’s great for your skin and can boost your mood and sleep quality. Yet, according to the National Council on ...

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 ...