I know, it’s hard to believe that something so simple can be so true.
If you want to live a happier life, surround yourself with happier people. If you want to be more motivated, spend time with motivated people. If you want to become financially free, hang out with financially independent people. When you are in the presence of these positive people, you will absorb their happiness, motivation, thoughts, insights, etc.
Have you ever had a stressful day as a nurse practitioner? I’m sure you were running behind with a waiting room full of patients. You were overwhelmed with dozens of open charts. Then there was one of those elderly men who told you his bad joke, and you laughed! Or maybe that nice drug rep brought your favorite takeout food for lunch. Or a coworker was excited about a big life event. How did your mood automatically change when you came into contact with these people?
Think about a time when the opposite was true. When you were feeling grateful and happy and someone else’s negativity turned you into a bad mood. Nothing bad happened to you, but just being around that person made you grumpy.
Spending time with happy people will make you happier.
One of the reasons this phenomenon occurs is the realization that there is a world bigger than yourself. It is our human nature to be selfish. We constantly obsess about what other people think about us. Is there something in my teeth? Do my clothes look wrinkled? Is the patient going to think I’m an idiot if I have to look up which medication to prescribe? This is one reason nurse practitioners struggle with imposter syndrome. We are obsessed with how other people view us. We see situations from our own eyes, our own perspectives.
But sometimes we have to remember how big the world is. We have to be reminded that other people have different thought processes. They have different views and ideas of the world. When we are around happy people, we are reminded of other people’s perspective. Not to mention, they are just as obsessed with themselves as you are of yourself!
Look around at the people you spend the most time with. How many of them are stressed and burned out and ready-to-leave healthcare? How many of them complain about their financial situation and how they can’t afford to quit the job that is burning them out. How many family or friends are in similar situations as you.
Maybe you need to change the people you spend time with. Find people who are one step ahead of where you want to be. Find people who are happier and more motivated than you are. You actually feel better by spending time with these people. Here are some other tips on spending time with more positive people.
Spending time with happy people is just one tool you can use to overcome nurse practitioner burnout. Who can you spend time with today that will make you happier?
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
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