Nurses Need To Take Time For Themselves

It is the end of a long shift and you are looking forward to finally have some time off. You hurry up to finish typing the visit information into the patient file so you can be on your way, Once done, you leave to go home then realize you worked overtime the night before so you never got a chance to stop by the store. Unfortunately, that means either a grocery trip or eating out. Since you and your spouse made the resolution to stop eating out so often, you run into a grocery store and grab some frozen food for dinner. At least it is quick and easy, right? Once home, you scurry around preparing everything, spend some time with your kids and spouse, get everyone off to bed and, finally, you find you have a few moments to yourself. You are stressed and want to relax, but the truth is, how do you turn off your mind to the busyness of the day? What can you do to truly relax?

Does all this sound familiar? Welcome to the life of being a nurse! Once nurses get to the end of our shift, it can be so hard to turn off our minds to the patients we have seen, the issues we have resolved and the things we need to follow-up on the next day. It is so important, however, that we do find a way to relax at the end of our shifts and turn our minds off to work issues ( or at least turn it down some!) and unwind. Our jobs are physically and mentally draining. We all deserve some self-care, laughter and stress-free time to renew ourselves for the following shift.

Let’s look at some different ways we can relax after a long shift.

Play with Your Kids

Playing with your children does not mean taking care of them. Yes, as a parent it is our job to take care of our children but sitting down on the floor and playing with them is an entirely different scenario. Allow yourself to be in the moment and just enjoy that special time with them!

Cook a Fun Meal

Cooking a fun meal can actually be a great stress reliever. Focusing your mind on the conjunction of ingredients that are blending to become a spectacular meal will allow your mind to slowly relax from the happenings of your day. If you are feeling really tired after that great meal, don’t even worry about those dirty dishes. How about just leaving them till tomorrow?

Decompress

So we spent all day caring for others, now it is our time to care for ourselves! Some ideas to decompress are taking a nice, hot bubble bath, painting your nails or drinking a cup of hot tea. Allow your stresses to dissipate as you enjoy relaxing.

Read a Good Book

Download a good book on Kindle, order one off of Amazon or borrow one from your library- whatever your method is, just read a good book! There is something enthralling about being taken away by the characters of a book. Our mind forgets what we were worried about and instead focuses on the timeline and events of the story we are getting swept into. Let yourself be taken away into the storyline of your book.

Watch a Comedy Movie

We already know that laughter is good medicine, so why not let out a good guffaw every now and then? Becoming entranced into a comedy movie that will keep you rolling on the floor with laughter is an amazing way to destress. Want to take it to the next level? How about trying to watch every single movie Adam Sandler has ever made? That will definitely provide days and days of relaxation!

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to release bound up energy at the end of the day. Going for a run or catching some gym time can do wonders for the soul. If you prefer a slower pace for working out, Yoga or Pilates are both excellent options as well.

Journal

Grab a glass of wine and your favorite journal. Write down your feelings for the day, what caused you to stress and what were the highlights of your day. You will not ever need to show your journal to anyone, but just being able to write it down on paper can be so relieving!

Meditation

Starting meditation can actually be quite intimidating. If you are new to the practice, start with just 10 minutes or so after a shift and focus on your breathing. There are some great apps such as Headspace and Calm that will guide you through the meditation process. You will be surprised at how relaxed you will feel at the end!

Take Fido for a Walk

Fido has been sitting all day at home waiting on you to get home, letting him outside or taking him for a walk will make him and you happy! Having a pet is a known stress reliever, so spending time with Fido will do you some good.

Hopefully, these were some helpful tips to assist you in relaxing at the end of a long shift. We know being a nurse is physically and emotionally draining, so we must take time to build ourselves back up.

Do you have any great suggestions for how we can relax as nurses? Leave me a comment below!