Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation - Find Your Balance Challenge - Day 1 Tip - Are You Satisfied? 3294

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation - Find Your Balance Challenge - Day 1 Tip - Are You Satisfied?

Published
Welcome to day 1 of the Find Your Balance challenge.

Although “work-life balance” is the buzzword, think in terms of satisfaction. “Work-life satisfaction” may be more realistic. Your work and other areas of your life are not always going to be equally balanced. Sometimes your role as a nurse or nursing student will be more demanding, while during other periods, your home life will require more of your time and energy (like when planning a wedding or caring for young children or aging parents).

Tonight take stock of how you are feeling about "work-life satisfaction. If you are feeling up to it, journal about it and/or share how you are feeling with us in our Find Your Balance discussion or in our private Facebook group.

Did you know journaling can help you relieve stress? Read more about it here and consider doing it throughout the challenge.

Find this helpful? Use the social share links on this page to share it with a nurse you know. 

Join us on day 2

c987219becfc64baa8a999f8eee281c1-huge-an
Blog Challenge Tips 06/10/2019 7:56am CDT

Post a Comment or Question

15 Comments
AngelaBOat AngelaBOat Sep '21
Work-life balance is an area that I have focused on for some time. Recognizing the signs of burnout, I committed myself to separating the two. The Health and well-being of nurses is a quality improvement project I am currently working on in school.
When at work, I commit to being present and prepared. Project 7 is an experimental intervention I read while researching for another quality improvement project. The study is a mindfulness pledge that individuals commit to, and findings report higher job enjoyment. This commitment has improved my overall performance and endurance. 
Following my three shifts, I have a day off without commitments or assuming unnecessary responsibilities. Quiet time is also a priority for reflection and restoration.  When I am home, I focus on my plans and schedule a day of escape (usually weather dependent) which is most likely a hiking day. I plan lunch dates with friends and put these into my calendar, prioritizing these commitments over selecting available hours at work.
 
etortorete etortorete Sep '21
Work-life balance is one area I need to focus on over this year. I have found myself spending so much time and thoughts centered around work instead of life. Time is flying by and I feel I am not part of my own life. I need to realize my time is just as important of work time.
Work life balance/ satisfaction has been a huge focus for employees at my organization.  Thanks to joining our well-being program and having meetings with my wellness coach, I have become better at taking care of me when I am off duty.  I have  worked on my nutrition so I am eating healthier, restarted knitting, crocheting and quilting that tap into my creativity and give me  a sense of accomplishment when each project is done and try to do at least 7500-10, 000 steps a day.  Keeping in touch via phone with family and friends on a rotating bases has also been wonderful.  My purpose in sharing this is to emphasize it is important to just start working on work/ life satisfaction.  It will look different for each person to find what works best.  But it is essential that we try and appreciate that things may change as we go through life.  Good luck to all!
Its been a year and a day. A year and a day ago, I left Michigan for a travel nurse assignment in Bellingham, Washington. Today, my divorce was finalized. I have tried to find balance in my life. In a year and a day, I took a new part time job in Washington, finished my BSN, and my marriage ended. I took up paddle board yoga and have enough balance to do a headstand on a paddle board. I work part time so I can enjoy the beauty of living by mountains and the sea. I work in Covid ICU and worked extra this weekend but find working three in a row is emotionally and physically exhausting. So I will spend my time this week doing yoga, kayaking, hiking, eating good food, and keeping in touch with friends to balance myself out. I have made a new life for myself in Washington in a year and a day. 

I find the term satisfied interesting. If you ask am balanced, I find I have big swings from one side to the other. Work and my relationship are/were stressful. I find myself having to do more self care to maintain my balance. If the question becomes, am I satisfied, I would say yes. I love the life I have created outside of work for myself. I am looking for new work by making connections with my union and BSN preceptor. I am sad about the end of my marriage and am looking at myself so I recognize what I need to change to have a successful relationship in the future. 

Yes, I am satisfied and I can always grow.
Work-life balance is absolutely key, and I try to maintain this by focusing on work at work and being very present when I'm home.  I don't take my work home with me and I often don't log in or look at anything work related at home.
I use to work 2 jobs for at least 10 yrs because am a single mother of 4,but I had a rude awakening because of stress .
I decided to quit 2nd job and kept my full time job .
The day I stopped the 2nd job,I went to get a nap around 3:30 pm and did not wake up till 4pm the next day 
But when I woke up ,I felt like a brand new person
since then I have realized the power of self care , balance and the danger of stress .
l am telling this personal story so that everyone understands that balance is very important.
I currently work weekends only, Friday through Saturday. Although I’m working the entire weekend, having four days off in a row is great to me! The first day I’m off is what I call my wind down day. I have chosen Thursdays to be the day that my grandson and I go on outings. I have more of a work-life satisfaction working three days in a row because I now have four days in a row for family time and me time.
LGoette LGoette Sep '21
I struggle with work-life balance because I have a hard time saying no to picking up work, on my days off, when I know we are short help.  With doing this I obviously am not good at self care.  I know I need to be better taking care of myself.  Taking up journaling could be a good way to start. 
Today is my day off and I am trying to be as productive on my day off as I am at work while also allowing myself the rest I need. On my day off I am trying to take care of my personal responsibilities and spend time with family and those I care about. I did do some self-care by journaling and going for a short run/walk as well as some yoga.
About 6 months ago now - I placed a post it in my work space that simply says “self care is productive” - I know I need to embrace this idea into my core and I imagine I’m not alone 

Share:

Challenge Tips
706 Posts 14
Have you checked our monthly challenges? This is where you`ll find tips from some of our latest and greatest.

Share: