Nurses advise others to take care of their health and adopt a healthy lifestyle. But they often fail to follow their advice and ignore their health and wellness. However, nurses must understand that to care for their patients; they must ensure their health and fitness.
If nurses are not physically and mentally healthy, they cannot concentrate on their work. They will make more mistakes, and eventually, their patients won’t be satisfied and happy with their services.
So, everything again comes down to the same point: You must be careful about your well-being before doing that for others. Here are some tips for you to maintain your wellness.
Don’t ignore your hobbies
When you are engrossed in your work, the first thing you do is ignore your hobbies because you have no spare time to practice them. But in fact, abandoning your passion and hobbies often brings stress and hopelessness. You feel dissatisfied with your routine and what you have achieved. Research says that people who stay connected with their hobbies are less likely to experience stress. Hobbies that include team sports make you happy and improve your communication.
Hobbies can be of different types. Perhaps your hobby is to help stray dogs, find shelter for them or help at an animal shelter. Or you want to travel and take photos in various parts of the world. Or you want to continue your education and get an advanced degree after being an RN for quite some time.
What are you waiting for? The animal shelter you used to visit might still need an extra pair of hands; the 9 months RN to BSN program is waiting for you to pursue your passion. And there is still a chance to book a ticket to your next destination. In the case of pursuing higher education, you have the advantage of enrolling in an online program too. Such short programs give you a quick way to get a higher degree and pursue your passion.
Make a ritual of daily activities
You can make it your routine to have a healthy breakfast, coffee, etc., before going to the workplace.
Other rituals you can have in your daily or weekly routine include arranging a yoga session with friends and family or pampering yourself with a spa once in a while. Periodically, you can book a session in a nearby salon and work on improving your appearance; you can get your hair trimmed or try a new color.
It is essential and recommended to freshen up yourself to lead a healthy life and maintain your overall wellness.
Start a new and exciting hobby
If you have a hobby, practice it. If not, it is time to get one. There is a lot to do and discover while working as a nurse. Don’t be stuck in your work and deprive yourself of the chance to enjoy your life.
People enjoy the nightlife or go on adventurous tours; you deserve the same if you want to live a happy and healthy life. Whenever you get a chance to explore new things, don’t hesitate; just grab it. Go alone or make plans with friends—the more, the better.
If traveling does not match your personality, you can also look for other hobbies. Join a cooking class, learn to play guitar (or any other instrument), fan your creative spirit, draw and paint. It is never too take to get a hobby you enjoy doing. Just remember that your graduation from nursing school does not end your learning. The quest to get new talents and learn new things should always continue.
Spend time with friends
Spending time with friends should not be the last thing on your mind. Go out with your friends, have a few drinks, and chat about topics that interest you. You should mingle with people to get a breath of fresh air.
If you are prone to bringing back discussions about the workplace, it is better not to meet colleagues from your current job. If you keep the burden of work on your shoulders, the spirit of spending time away from stress will die anyway.
A lot can be done when you are with friends. Movies, concerts, joining a club, shopping, picnic—the list of things you can do for enjoyment is endless.
Plan some time for a workout
Working out daily for no less than thirty minutes is crucial to maintaining good physical health. Nevertheless, 46.3% don’t engage in physical activity despite job demands.
Nurses who engage in physical activity every day reap the rewards of lower sickness, lower absenteeism, better loyalty to the workplace, and better retention.
Nurses frequently get involved in tasks such as supporting and lifting patients, helping them walk, bathing them, and changing their clothes. Exercise is essential because it helps maintain the stamina needed to perform grueling work at a hospital.
Apart from bestowing physical strength, exercise has countless other benefits for nurses. It helps them with pain management and weight loss, better sleep quality, improved focus and attention at work, improved immunity, etc.
Don’t flout your diet
A healthy diet and physical activity are closely knit when it comes to the maintenance of health and wellness. Exercise without diet won’t give you the anticipated benefits. Therefore, you must maintain a healthy diet and exercise.
A healthy diet helps fulfill the nutritional deficiencies of your body. It provides the right nutrients that keep you energized for a long time, helps you keep a healthy weight, and strengthens your body’s fighting mechanism, among other things.
Spend time each week to plan your weekly meals and grocery shopping. Add plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, poultry, and seafood to your diet. If you can, prepare some homemade snacks you can take to the workplace — the healthier your food, the better.
Conclusion
Staying healthy is very important for nurses to fulfill the responsibilities of their demanding job. A healthy mind and body work together to bring out the best performance at the workplace and at home. Nurses must ensure their wellness for a fulfilled work and family life.