Finding the Time for Self-Care

ElizabethScala1, BSN, MSN

"You cannot serve from an empty vessel." -Eleanor Brown

As nurses and healthcare providers, time for ourselves often comes in scant quantities. Patients and our own family's needs frequently take center stage because we are so good at putting others and their needs first that our needs simply get lost in the shuffle of our lives. But there's a cost to pay for this perpetual dysfunction.

In caring for our patients, our homes and families -- with the endless cleaning, cooking, errands, etc., -- attending classes and training, and preparing mentally for our next shift, it feels like we're constantly at work. Without "filling up our vessel" as the above quote states, we risk our health, happiness, feelings of self-worth and self-esteem and unwittingly prime the pump for nurse burnout. We need time to decompress and facilitate our own healing, if we are going to give adequate care to anyone else. Taking care of ourselves makes us better caregivers for others, and quite simply, we'll be happier and experience more satisfaction in our careers and personal lives when we put self-care practices into place.

Here are some strategies for getting those moments of self-care into your life as a busy nurse:

Advocate for Yourself

Nurses are natural advocates for their patients, so turn that service towards yourself. Figure out what your needs are for better self-care and prescribe them for yourself. What favorite activities do you LOVE to do, but haven't done in a while? Look through the newspaper for activities or events that you would like to attend, but haven't in awhile. Make a list of all the places you've wanted to see or activities you'd want to do if you had a three-day weekend. Your list is your starting point for the self-care appointments you will place on your calendar.

Follow the 1:1:1 Rule

One thing a day. One thing a week. One thing a month. Look at your week and plan your self-care rituals. Set them as appointments on your calendar. The daily rituals can be short 10-15 minutes or whatever you can work in. Some days are busier than others. For a weekly ritual, set aside a longer period of time. The same with the monthly appointment, and look at doing something really big once a year. Plan out self-care rituals for a month and then take a look at the calendar. Look at all the time you've made yourself a priority! Feels kind of good, doesn't it? Now the trick will be to keep your appointments!

Remember Self-care Doesn't Have to Mean Self-Only Care

Many people, not just nurses, think self-care rituals need to have a selfish benefit of only yourself benefiting from the ritual. A self-care ritual can bring peace of mind and reduce stress. I have a friend that detests unorganized closets and to her, even though she is not the only person in her house that benefits from an organized closet, it certainly decreases her stress when she can reach for something in the closet and not have 10 things fall down on top of her. Closet organizing is a favorite self-care ritual that she also sees as an indulgence, because she gets to do it alone with her favorite music blaring away and no one interrupts her or they know they'll be forced to help (not really, but it's that little threat that ensures she has all that time to herself). Another nurse I know likes to take Sunday afternoons to make a breakfast baked good and a few family meals for the week ahead, so she doesn't have to think about dinner or breakfast during her work week. "At least I know we're eating healthy most of the time and that I won't be tempted to order a pizza on the way home or stop at McDonald's for breakfast because I'm pinched for time. Peace of mind is what I get, and I'll take that any day."

Know That Little Things Count if They Matter to You

If it's tough planning the everyday self-care rituals, know that even giving into a pet peeve counts as self-care if it lowers your stress level. A nurse friend of mine detests when her nail polish is chipped. She can wear her hair up in a messy bun or leave the house happily without makeup, but chipped nail polish aggravates her. "It just reminds me of all those girls in high school that would run around with chipped polish for days and weeks or they'd sit in class and pick half of it off and then wear it half picked off for days. Just don't wear it if you can't keep it up." To her, taking a couple minutes to take off old chippy nail polish is a stress reliever and one of her easy methods of self-care. For others, it may be not to leave one dirty dish in the sink before retiring for the night, setting the timer on the coffeemaker, packing a lunch the night before. The little daily rituals are self-care that don't even have to be scheduled. They just have to be noted and appreciated as filling up the vessel in order to care for others too.

I'd love to hear from you! What self-care rituals do you use to "fill up your vessel"? How do you unwind and recharge? Leave a comment below on how you carve out time for yourself to promote the 'life' portion of work-life balance!

Finding the Time for Self-Care

Advocate for Yourself

Follow the 1:1:1 Rule

Remember Self-care Doesn't Have to Mean Self-Only Care

Know That Little Things Count if They Matter to You

About ElizabethScala1, BSN, MSN

More Like This