Nurse Olivia

In our fast-paced world, finding a balance between work and personal life has become a crucial challenge. It has taken me a long time to master the art of balance, and it is something I work toward every day in my life. As our professional and personal responsibilities continue to grow, finding harmony between the two is essential for overall well-being. In the healthcare field and nursing, dedication beyond the traditional 9-5 schedule is often required. In the post-COVID era, healthcare professionals need to prioritize their wellness! In this blog post, we’ll explore practical tips and strategies to help you achieve a fulfilling balance between your career and personal life. These techniques can be applied to any career, not just nursing!

1. Set Clear Boundaries
2. Learn To Say No
3. Prioritize and Delegate
4. Time Management Techniques
   1. Pomodoro Technique
   2. Eisenhower Matrix
5. Schedule Personal Time
6. Establish Healthy Habits
7. The Joy of Disconnecting
8. Conclusion

Set Clear Boundaries

Setting firm and clear boundaries is something I put into practice in my own life, and I encourage you to do so as well. Setting clear boundaries between work and personal life is essential to maintaining balance. This can look like establishing specific working hours and sticking to them, creating designated spaces for work and leisure at home, and separating work from your personal life to ensure work does not spill into personal time. Your friends do not bother you at work, so why should you take work calls while resting at home? The idea is to separate the two to avoid work spilling into your personal time. This can be especially challenging if you are still in school, but it is possible. The key is to schedule time blocks for each activity within your day and adhere to the plan. Think about what your ideal daily schedule looks like. How can you put that into practice?

Understand and define your personal and professional limits. Recognize the maximum number of consecutive shifts or overtime hours that allow you to perform at your best without compromising your well-being. Knowing and being aware of your limits is the first step in setting effective boundaries. This is where open communication with colleagues and superiors becomes key. Discuss your availability, preferred shift patterns, and personal commitments that may impact your schedule. This clear communication helps to avoid misunderstandings and ensures everyone is on the same page. Clearly define your off-duty hours to your team and stick with it. Clearly communicate your need for breaks, days off, or any specific accommodations that contribute to your well-being. Education fosters understanding and support in a healthy work environment. Protecting your personal time is essential for recharging and rejuvenating. This is why it is important to utilize your time off effectively for activities that recharge you. This is not limited to rest or self-care activities, as sometimes what recharges me the most is grabbing dinner with my best friends or volunteering my time off to a cause I care about.

Learn To Say No

If you are like me, you are constantly pushing yourself to achieve and experience more. It is so HARD to say no sometimes. I know this because this was a skill I had to learn and practice. It can be challenging for nurses to turn down additional shifts or tasks. Recognize that saying no does not make you selfish. Sometimes saying no is necessary to ensure the safety of the patients you are caring for, as extra tasks can be overwhelming and lead to mistakes. It’s important to be a team player in one’s career, especially in nursing, but learning to say no when your plate is full is necessary to prevent burnout. Prioritize your workload based on your capacity.

Prioritize and Delegate

If you are a nurse or in nursing school, I know you are familiar with these terms. Recognize your priorities both at work and in your personal life. Then, identify tasks that require your immediate attention and tasks that can be delegated to other people or postponed. Document this in your personal planner. I prefer to use a physical planner because it is tangible and you remember things better writing by hand. Delegating tasks lightens your workload and also provides opportunities for others to contribute. This is where trusting the expertise of others comes into play! Realize it is impossible to do everything by yourself, and that mindset is what leads to burnout. Effectively utilize the support you have around you through delegation.

Time Management Techniques

Pomodoro Technique

There are numerous techniques to manage your time effectively at your disposal. The technique I adhered to most in school and working at home, is the Pomodoro Technique. This technique involves setting a timer for 25 minutes and working on a task of your choice. This set of 25 minutes is known as one “Pomodoro.” Focus entirely on the chosen task until the timer rings. After completing a Pomodoro, take a short break around 5-10 minutes to relax and recharge. It is important to note that scrolling on social media on your phone is actually draining rather than recharging, so it is better to utilize your breaks to take a short walk, listen to part of a podcast, or grab a snack. Repeat the 25min work/5 min break four times. After completing four Pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. The key principles of this technique include time blocking, or breaking your workday into focused intervals, enhanced focus, and regular breaks. Knowing you have a break coming soon helps you focus on your work and boosts your overall productivity!

Eisenhower Matrix

Another technique you can utilize is the Eisenhower Matrix, which is characterized by categorizing tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance.

• Urgent and Important (Quadrant 1): write down your most urgent and important tasks. These require immediate attention and are critical to your goals. Do these promptly.

ex: Complete report deadline

• NOT Urgent but Important (Quadrant II): Now, write the tasks you need to complete that contribute to your long-term goals. These often require planning and proactive action. Schedule these tasks.

ex: Project planning for next quarter

• Urgent but NOT Important (Quadrant III): These are the tasks that need to be completed sooner but are not particularly important. Delegating or minimizing time spent on these tasks is often advisable.

ex: Answering routine emails

• NOT Urgent and NOT Important (Quadrant IV): These tasks can be considered time-wasters and should be minimized.

ex: Browsing social media

Both of these time management techniques provide practical approaches to time management, helping individuals focus on high-priority tasks, manage energy effectively, and maintain a healthier work-life balance! Other time management techniques include The Two Minute Rule (If a task takes < 2 minutes, do it immediately,) The 80/20 Rule aka the Pareto Principle (Identify the 20% of activities that yield 80% of results and prioritize these,) and what is known as Eating The Frog (Tackle the most challenging or important task first thing in the morning to set a positive tone for the day). There are countless other time management techniques on the internet that you can research and try for yourself!

Schedule Personal Time

Given the unpredictable nature of nursing schedules or school workloads, plan your personal activities in advance. This proactive approach ensures you have dedicated time for personal pursuits, fostering a better work-life balance. It also prevents you from feeling that you wasted your time off. Treat your personal time with the same importance as work-related commitments. Schedule regular breaks, vacations, and activities you enjoy. One of the many benefits of nursing is that you are often able to create your work schedule. Utilize this to make the most out of your week. Self-care activities you can schedule into your week include exercise, meditation, reading, and hobbies that bring you joy. I love playing video games, and lately I have been really enjoying Hogwarts Legacy! Scheduling time throughout the week to enjoy low-effort tasks such as playing a video game you love helps prevent burnout! Schedule exciting events as well like seeing your favorite artist live or travel, to have something to always look forward to!

Establish Healthy Habits

Creating a healthy and joyful work environment involves incorporating positive habits and activities into your daily routine. Don’t just focus on your healthy habits at home, bring it to the workplace. Self-love transcends location. It can be very easy to neglect yourself at work when you are faced with so many responsibilities, but you must take the time you need and develop these habits to promote safety for your patients! There are certain things hospital workers may not be able to do, such as bringing plants to work (infection risk) or personalizing your workspace (shared spaces), but there are many things you can do to bring joy to your workplace!

Start your day with a few minutes of morning mindfulness through meditation or prayer; whatever works best for you! This can help set a positive tone for the day, reduce stress, and enhance focus. Ensure your workspace is ergonomic and comfortable. A well-organized, ergonomic, and comfortable space can positively impact your physical health and productivity. Make sure to take short breaks throughout the day to stretch, move around, and refresh your mind. Always take your meal break! Stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle at your desk. Also, make mindful choices about nutrition by incorporating healthy snacks and meals in your work routine. If you are feeling stressed at work, incorporate brief mindful breathing exercises to manage stress and promote relaxation. Deep, intentional breaths have a calming effect, slowing down the heart rate, and are especially useful during busy periods. Use positive affirmations to boost confidence and motivation. Always remind yourself of your strengths and accomplishments to create a positive mindset!

Most importantly, express your gratitude. My dad has always said “the key to happiness is living life with a sense of gratitude,” and I could not agree more. Take a moment each day to reflect on something you’re grateful for at work, and at home. Expressing gratitude can shift your focus to positive aspects of work and improve your overall job satisfaction.

The Joy of Disconnecting

This is my favorite piece of advice. Learning how to disconnect, digitally, in our hyper-connected world, plays a pivotal role in achieving work-life balance. This one gets me into trouble sometimes because I love turning my phone off and just purely existing. Sorry friend if I missed your text!

Continuous connectivity can lead to burnout, the state of being physically and emotionally exhausted. Social media apps are the biggest offender of this because you never know if what you are going to see is positive or negative. Over time the negative effects of social media may compound, negatively affecting your mental health. It is almost impossible not to scroll and compare yourself or feel that you want something. The Buddhists believe that the feeling of “want” is the root of all pain. By eliminating wanting things, you feel content and free from life’s pressures to consume. Instead of attaching yourself to social media, work on strengthening your real connections with family and friends. Meaningful relationships are crucial in the pursuit of a balanced life. Every day I actively practice gratitude for the relationships I have in my life, because truthfully, your relationships have a huge impact on the person you are today!

Besides connecting with friends and family, and taking a break from consumption, disconnecting digitally provides the mental space needed for creativity and innovation to flourish. Engaging in activities unrelated to school or work allows the mind to wander, which can lead to new ideas and perspectives that may be beneficial in the professional realm!

Establish rituals for disconnecting that signal the end of the workday or workweek. This may include turning off email notifications, closing work-related applications, or simply stepping away from the computer. These rituals create a psychological transition from work to personal time

Learn and practice being present. Disconnecting allows you to be fully present in the moment, whether its spending time with loved ones, enjoying a hobby, or relaxing. Being present in your personal activities contributes to a more enriching and satisfying life. Disconnecting is a proactive choice the empowers individuals to reclaim their personal time, protect their mental and emotional well-being, and foster a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to both work and life. By recognizing the importance of disconnecting, individuals can unlock the true potential of a balanced and harmonious existence.

Conclusion

Achieving work-life balance seems to both an art and science, meaning you need to experiment and test what works for you and brings you the most joy. Utilize strategies like setting boundaries, learning to say no, incorporating healthy habits at work and home, and embracing the power of disconnecting. By prioritizing self-care, scheduling personal time, and engaging in intentional activities that bring you joy, individuals can navigate the demands of work while nurturing their well-being. The tools of time management, such as the Pomodoro Technique and Eisenhower Matrix, add structure, while the act of disconnecting serves as a powerful reset, preventing burnout and encouraging creativity.

Wrapping up this exploration, it is clear that work-life balance is a dynamic journey that is ongoing and requires continuous self-assessment and adaptability. Commit to crafting a life where personal and professional realms coexist harmoniously and contribute to an overall sense of fulfillment and wholeness. In essence, work on mastering blending your professional and personal wellbeing while keeping work stress at work and eliminating stressors from your personal life. I am grateful for and in love with every aspect of my life because it all adds up to the person I am and the person I want to be. Life really is what you make it!