Being a nurse can be an extremely rewarding and fulfilling job. Sometimes, however, it can also be stressful and tiring. As a nurse, you might be putting so much effort into ensuring that your patients feel well, that you forget about taking care of your own mental and physical well-being.
Seld-care is very important. If you do not pay enough attention to it, you might find yourself feeling burned out and not enjoying the job you normally love.
Here at Niccolo, we appreciate the hard work you’re doing in caring about patients and we want to help you take care of your own emotional, mental, and physical health. That this why we prepared this Self-Care guide for nurses. Here you can find useful tips and everything you should know about self-care.
What is self-care?
Everyone has heard the term ‘self-care’, but what exactly does it mean? Self-care refers to activities that serve to improve your personal well-being. The exact actions that self-care covers vary from person to person as each individual has different needs and enjoys doing different things. Activities that constitute a part of self-care can be anything that you enjoy doing, be it reading, watching a movie, or spending time with your friends.
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), there are seven key categories of self-care:
| Self-care category | Goal | Recommended actions |
| Physical | Maintaining good physical health | Having a healthy dietExercisingGoing for a walk during breaksWearing comfortable shoes to work |
| Intellectual | Keeping a sharp mind | Reading medical and nursing journalsSharing knowledge with other nurses |
| Emotional | Managing emotions more easily | Telling family and friends how you feelTrying not to overthink mistakes as everyone makes themBe proud of yourselfAllow yourself to feel sad sometimes |
| Spiritual | Connecting with your faith or beliefs and developing inner peace | Be respectful of other religions and culturesPractice meditation and yogaAllocate some time for reflection |
| Personal | Doing things that make you happy | Try some activities you have not tried beforeTake time to develop your hobbiesRelaxGo on a day trip |
| Professional | Promoting professional development | Buy new scrubsTake breaksDefine what your career goals are and prepare a plan on how you can achieve them |
| Social | Building relationships with others | Talk to other nurses and your co-workersSpend time with your family and friends |
Why is self-care important?
Sometimes if you take some time to relax, you might feel guilty about not spending every minute of the day working. Nevertheless, it is important to find a balance between working, fulfilling other obligations, and having some time to ourselves. Doing things we enjoy doing and not thinking about work for a bit is essential to maintaining good mental health.
If you frequently engage in self-care, you will be a happier nurse and you will enjoy your work more. Self-care can help you take your mind off stressful things and decompress. You should never feel guilty about scheduling some time to do nothing and relax. You are working so hard and doing so much good that you deserve a reward.
Self-Care Tips for Nurses
So now that you know what self-care is and why it is important, you might be wondering where to start. Have a look at some of the tips that can make self-care easier:
| Nutrition | Understand your dietary habits Include fruit and vegetables in your daily dietEat balanced mealsTry to schedule time at work to take a break and eat Always eat some kind of breakfast |
| Sleep | Do not use your computer and phone right before bedRelax before going to bed and trying to fall asleepTry to get at least 7 hours of sleep each nightTry to have a regular sleeping schedule |
| Exercise | Even if you only exercise for 20 minutes a day, it is better than nothingTry to go on short walks outside during your breaks at workTry to exercise regularlyTry exercises you can do at home if your schedule is too tight for you to have time to go to the gym |
| Personal Development | Find time on developing your hobbies and skills Make your health a priorityListen to music you likeRead books or journalsTry meditation |
Tools for self-care that nurses should know
Nowadays self-care is becoming very easy thanks to technology. There are several apps that can help you take care of your mental health.
| Headspace | The app is intended to facilitate meditation and guide you through it. If you have never tried meditation, Headspace is a good place to start. There are various types of meditation sessions available. You can choose the right one for you, depending on whether you, for example, want to relax, relieve anxiety, or fall asleep more easily. |
| Talkspace | The app allows you to attend online therapy with licensed specialists. You can also access various mental health news and tips. |
| Pacifica | The app allows you to keep track of the changes to your mood. It is designed to help people deal with depression, anxiety, and stress. It also gives you access to various forums where you can share experiences and connect with other users. |
| Shine | The app allows you to learn daily self-care skills. You can take part in a different meditation session every day and you can access tools personalised for your individual needs. |
What are the benefits of meditation?
So as you can see, meditation is an important aspect of self-care. Meditation can help you manage and stress. You can practice it just by sitting in a quiet, comfortable place and focusing on your breathing, preferably with your eyes closed. You do not have to do it for long, just 10-20 minutes is enough.
The main benefits of meditation are:
- Enhancing your self-awareness
- Reducing stress
- Reducing negative emotions
- Increasing creativity
- Feeling happier
- Improving work performance
- Improving your physical health.
Conclusion
Self-care can not only reduce stress and help you perform better at work, but it can also improve your relationships, your eating habits, and help you achieve your goals. Caring about your mental and emotional health is essential. No matter how busy you are, you should try to set aside some time just for yourself. It does not have to be much, just ten minutes a day can make a difference!