It is not selfish to take care of yourself.
I repeat.
It is not selfish to take care of yourself.
Nurses/nurse practitioners are used to putting everyone’s needs in front of our own. But we struggle to actually accomplish the selfcare.
We are constantly pulled in different directions and taught that the patient’s care must come first. I am all about patient safety and great patient care, but ultimately these selfless acts are contributing to our nurse practitioner burnout. And we need to do something about it.
Selfcare is just one piece of the puzzle, but it can have a tremendous impact on overcoming nurse practitioner burnout. We can’t take care of others when we don’t take care of ourselves first. We can’t pour from an empty cup. We have to do the self-care so we can overcome nurse practitioner burnout.
Here are 3 ways to actually accomplish the selfcare.
1. Give yourself permission to do self-care.
Give yourself permission to take time for yourself. It’s ok to put your needs first. Even if the world is telling you otherwise. Even if your patients, coworkers, and family constantly need things from you. Even if you have never given yourself permission before, do it now.
We have to decide to take care of ourselves. We have to choose to make self-care a priority. We have to put our needs in front of others. Have you ever been on an airplane and the stewardess told you to put your mask on before you help others?
We NEED to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others. Give yourself permission.
2. Prioritize time to accomplish the selfcare.
There are only 24 hours in a day. We cannot create more time, therefore, we have to prioritize it. Create a time log of everything you do in 24 hours. What do you notice? What is on the list that you could delegate. This can go for tasks at work, such as calling referrals. You can also lighten your load at home. Do you need to hire a housekeeper?
How else could you free up some time? Do you watch 4 hours of TV a night instead of getting a good night’s sleep? Could you go for a quick walk over lunch or invite the family to exercise with you after work? Determine how you can better prioritize your selfcare.
3. Do selfcare you enjoy.
What activities do you think of when I say “self-care?” Exercise, healthy diet, sleep, journaling, medication. While each of these activities are beneficial, you have to find what you actually enjoy. This will help nurse practitioners accomplish the selfcare.
If I told you to run 3 miles a day as part of your selfcare and you hate running, how likely are you to complete that activity? Not likely. I’m not going to tell you to go get a massage if that’s not your thing.
You know what relaxes and brings you joy. Just make sure you actually accomplish the selfcare!
As The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner, I cannot stress the important of selfcare in order to overcome nurse practitioner burnout. Use these 3 ways and accomplish the selfcare. And remember, selfcare is not selfish!
For more tips and tricks on overcoming burnout and creating work-life balance, check out Burnout Resolution for Nurse Practitioners! This online self-study course will teach you how to create a better work-life balance and overcome nurse practitioner burnout.
For time management and charting tips, check out The Nurse Practitioner Charting School– The one stop for all documentation resources created specifically for nurse practitioners. Learn more at www.npchartingschool.com
**Full disclosure, this blog post may include affiliate links. I do receive a commission if any of the affiliate programs/services/supplies are purchased. This is at no extra cost to you but does allow me to continue to provide content as The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner! Thank you!
**Full disclosure, this blog post may include affiliate links. I do receive a commission if any of the affiliate programs/services/supplies are purchased. This is at no extra cost to you but does allow me to continue to provide content as The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner! Thank you!
