ANA Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® Blog: Struggling to Stay Centered?
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Strategies for finding work-life balance
Nurses are busy from the moment they begin their shift until the minute they head home. But, for many, the chaos and overwhelm don't end there.
Trying to fit family, school, or outside interests around your work schedule can be overwhelming. As a nurse, finding work-life balance may seem like an impossible endeavor.
There are ways to calm the chaos and find balance, though. Learning to use time more effectively, prioritizing self-care, and utilizing available resources and support can help you feel more in control.
Why Work-Life Balance Is Essential for Nurses
As a nurse, you may be faced with physically demanding tasks, long and irregular shifts, and emotionally taxing interactions with patients and families. The physical and mental fatigue can affect your work-life balance in many ways, causing:
Professionally, having a strong work-life balance can contribute to a better work attitude and stronger job satisfaction. It's also a strong predictor of nurse retention.
Personally, finding balance is critical to managing stress. When stress levels are consistently high, it can zap your productivity, affect your mental health, and have long-term effects on your physical health.
Tips for Improving Your Work-Life Balance
Unfortunately, your work-life balance isn't going to magically improve on its own. You'll need to make an effort to make a change.
Start by asking yourself these questions:
Track your time outside of work for a week and see if you notice activities you're doing that may not be meaningful to you.
Try these tips to spend your time more effectively:
Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® outlines 6 key areas of wellness to consider:
Choose one area to focus on and make a healthy choice or change. Doing so, you’ll be one step closer to feeling balanced.
However, you don't always need to make a drastic career move to change the effect of work on your life. There may be programs and practices you aren't taking full advantage of, such as:
Talk to your organization's human resources department to learn about available options and resources. They may have offerings to reduce stress and help you find better balance.
Reset Your Mindset to Achieve Better Work-Life Balance
It's natural to want a perfectly balanced life that fulfills you personally and professionally. But striving for perfection may be paralyzing you or adding unnecessary stress.
The Theory of Planned Behavior suggests that your ability to make a change depends on your intention to make that change. Acting with purpose — instead of chasing perfection — may be a good path to achieving work-life balance.
Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation embraces the American Nurses Association’s definition of a healthy nurse, "one who is in or striving toward a positive state of physical, psycho-emotional, social, environmental, and professional well-being." The critical word is "striving." It's perfectly healthy not to have a perfect work-life balance yet. The key is working toward it.
How do you strive to maintain work-life balance? Share with us in our discussion below.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join today!
Join our monthly challenges at hnhn.org/challenges!
Trying to fit family, school, or outside interests around your work schedule can be overwhelming. As a nurse, finding work-life balance may seem like an impossible endeavor.
There are ways to calm the chaos and find balance, though. Learning to use time more effectively, prioritizing self-care, and utilizing available resources and support can help you feel more in control.
Why Work-Life Balance Is Essential for Nurses
As a nurse, you may be faced with physically demanding tasks, long and irregular shifts, and emotionally taxing interactions with patients and families. The physical and mental fatigue can affect your work-life balance in many ways, causing:
- Chronic stress that affects your health and productivity
- Lack of energy needed to enjoy important people and parts of your life
- Feelings of guilt or inadequacy at home and/or work
- Strained relationships with friends and family
Professionally, having a strong work-life balance can contribute to a better work attitude and stronger job satisfaction. It's also a strong predictor of nurse retention.
Personally, finding balance is critical to managing stress. When stress levels are consistently high, it can zap your productivity, affect your mental health, and have long-term effects on your physical health.
Tips for Improving Your Work-Life Balance
Unfortunately, your work-life balance isn't going to magically improve on its own. You'll need to make an effort to make a change.
Start by asking yourself these questions:
- How do I spend my time outside of work?
Track your time outside of work for a week and see if you notice activities you're doing that may not be meaningful to you.
Try these tips to spend your time more effectively:
- Choose "double duty" activities: Spend your time on activities that provide more bang for your buck. For example, walking with your family provides quality time with loved ones, physical fitness, and a boost to your mental health.
- Delegate: You don't have to do it all yourself. Set up a carpool, hire people for household jobs, and ask your family to help more with chores.
- Put down your phone: The time you spend scrolling could be spent on family, friends, hobbies, or self-care.
- Set boundaries at work: Make it a rule not to take paperwork home, if appropriate. Set digital boundaries by silencing work emails and notifications during certain hours, if appropriate.
- Use shortcuts: Meal prep; find recipes for quick, healthy meals; and choose workouts that fit into your day.
- Am I prioritizing my wellness?
Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® outlines 6 key areas of wellness to consider:
- Mental health: Finding a supportive environment and practicing meditation can help you stay positive, focused, and grateful — reducing the risk of burnout.
- Nutrition: Healthy eating and adequate nutrition can give you the energy and nourishment you need for your day.
- Physical activity: Learning how to overcome barriers to physical activity and finding ways to include daily exercise can help you reduce stress and build stamina.
- Quality of life: Making quality of life a priority can guide your career decisions and help you find balance between work and home.
- Rest: Getting enough rest and quality sleep is restorative and vital for your physical and mental health.
- Safety: Your safety and well-being affect your behavior and ability to care for others at work and at home.
Choose one area to focus on and make a healthy choice or change. Doing so, you’ll be one step closer to feeling balanced.
- Is there a way to improve my work situation?
However, you don't always need to make a drastic career move to change the effect of work on your life. There may be programs and practices you aren't taking full advantage of, such as:
- Flexible scheduling options
- Paid time off
- Shift changes
- Work leave
Talk to your organization's human resources department to learn about available options and resources. They may have offerings to reduce stress and help you find better balance.
Reset Your Mindset to Achieve Better Work-Life Balance
It's natural to want a perfectly balanced life that fulfills you personally and professionally. But striving for perfection may be paralyzing you or adding unnecessary stress.
The Theory of Planned Behavior suggests that your ability to make a change depends on your intention to make that change. Acting with purpose — instead of chasing perfection — may be a good path to achieving work-life balance.
Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation embraces the American Nurses Association’s definition of a healthy nurse, "one who is in or striving toward a positive state of physical, psycho-emotional, social, environmental, and professional well-being." The critical word is "striving." It's perfectly healthy not to have a perfect work-life balance yet. The key is working toward it.
How do you strive to maintain work-life balance? Share with us in our discussion below.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join today!
Join our monthly challenges at hnhn.org/challenges!
Blog Quality of Life
10/14/2025 8:13am CDT
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