Self-care is an important means of reducing stress and easing burnout. Nurses especially need to engage in self-care routines as they often deal with many high stress situations and may not be aware that they’re exhausting themselves. This article deals with ways nurses can incorporate self-care routines to help them recharge and refresh.
Stress Management Methods
Nurses are often in chaotic environments that require long hours, quick thinking, and deal with intense human emotions. These high-impact environments take their toll, especially with mental health. Nurses also move from task to task without a long enough break to decompress from a high stress situation. In this circumstances, stress management strategies can be key for bringing a sense of calm.
Box Breathing
One method to calm the body is through a technique known as box breathing. This process alternates between deep inhales and exhales while holding the breath in between. Doing this helps calm the nervous system and can be done in as little as five minutes. Here’s a step-by-step instruction to the technique:
- Inhale deeply for four seconds
- Hold the breath for four seconds
- Exhale completely for four seconds
- Hold the breath for four seconds
Some versions of this practice have you envision outlining a box as you breathe, which is where this method gets its name from. This technique works great for nurses as it only requires a short amount of time to do.
Grounding Technique: 5-4-3-2-1
A common technique to provide grounding and help curb anxious thoughts goes by many names such as the 5-senses method. This process can help nurses regain control of their minds by redirecting their energy into conscious sensations and becoming aware of themselves in the present.
The process begins by focusing on five things that you can see. Next, you find four things that you can touch. This can include clothes or objects you’re wearing, anything that activates your sense of touch. After that comes focusing on three things you can hear. That includes internal noises like your heartbeat as well as external sounds. The second to last step is utilizing your sense of smell to find two distinct scents. Finally, you find one thing you can taste.
As many healthcare procedures can be complicated and require a lot of forward thinking, nurses return to the present moment and keep a cool head, an especially useful skill in times of crisis.
Work-Life Balance
Nurses can’t always control when they are scheduled for their shifts. And nurse shifts may require long hours. So it is important for a nurse to protect their work-life balance and incorporate routines to help them find that balance.
Self-care looks different for every person. Where a sweet treat at the end of a shift can be a great reward for one, another may find more motivation in reading a book on their breaks or at home. Developing a self-care routine should be individualized to what suits you best and what makes you specifically feel rejuvenated.
One thing nurses can do is establish a hard boundary between life and work. Work stays at their organization and when they are not at work, they don’t try to catch up during their free time. For nurses on call, this divide can be harder since their free time could quickly change into work at a moment’s notice. But that life-work balance can be maintained by choosing simple activities that can be paused or can be completed quickly.
Nutrition and Exercise
An overlooked aspect of nursing is a combination of diet and exercise. While nurses may be on their feet for a good portion of their day, they also may be doing repetitive motions that can cause stress injuries. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and help build strength so nurses can avoid injury.
Nurses also should be mindful of what they eat. A diet primarily consisting of snacks isn’t one that’s going to provide the energy needed to get through an entire shift. Some nurses will prepare meals on their off-days to make sure they are eating enough to be able to have the focus and clarity they need during long shifts. This also counts as an act of self-care, as it’s easing the stress of what a meal on a shift might be.
Nurse Wellness is Important
Nurses are the backbone of many healthcare organizations and without them being their best, the whole system can suffer. How can they provide effective care if they themselves aren’t feeling well? Nurses should pursue self-care routines that help them on a physical level and an emotional one. When nurses can manage their stress, they can perform at their best when it matters.
