As physician burnout has become a more widely-recognized issue, it’s time to talk about a tangential issue—nurse stress. While nursing can be a deeply fulfilling career, it is also extremely taxing. Issues like depression, burnout, and chronic fatigue are common among nurses, often caused by anything from intense workloads, fluctuating schedules, to difficult patients and families. Solutions for this intense stress aren’t simple—one meditation or a green juice won’t solve the problem.
Here are four practical ways you can combat nurse stress and improve your quality of life:
Enjoyable Exercise
Exercising is a great natural stress reliever, but if you’re on your feet for twelve hours a day, every day, working out is probably the last thing you want to do. Instead of dragging yourself to the gym exhausted, think about doing something active that’s simple and enjoyable. Swim a few laps, do yoga in the living room, or bike around the neighborhood slowly. You don’t have to pump iron to reap the stress-relieving benefits of a quick daily workout.
Caregiver Support
One of the most important elements of being in a caregiving role like nursing is knowing when to seek out help and support. You’re not alone in feeling stressed out, tired, and overwhelmed—there are support groups all over the nation for healthcare workers who struggle with coping with the emotional and physical demands of their position. If you’re feeling stressed or burnt out, consider seeking out a caregiver support group near you.
Get More Sleep
You may be tired of hearing it, but getting more sleep really is a foolproof method of relieving stress. The problem is that you may not be able to sleep more, between a night shift, or those 12-hour shifts that start in the wee hours of the morning. But with a job as draining as nursing, you need that time to recover every night, and doing so will drastically improve your well-being across the board. Make sleep a priority—eight hours every night—and see if your stress levels improve.
Medical Contracting
Contract opportunities are a great way to maintain work-life balance and take back control over your stress levels. Nurses who choose short or long-term contracts over permanent positions are able to choose their position, when then work, and where they work. As a medical contractor, you’ll be able to protect yourself from becoming overworked and take time off when you need to rest and recover.
At JIT Staffing, we specialize in the placement of healthcare providers in over 65 different specialties. If you’re ready to find your dream career while remaining flexible and achieving work-life balance, contact our team for the resources and information to get started today.