not doing a blessed thing on your day off? I worked a 5 day stretch that was just awful. We were short-staffed and had really sick patients and needy families. Besides, I think I cleaned up more poop in those 5 days than I cleaned in the last 11 years. So, anyway, on Tuesday, I sat on the couch and did NOTHING. Not a darn thing. I read a book and watched TV. Took my daughter to swim team practice, then later I took both my kiddos to karate class and then made hubby take me out to dinner after, lol. We invited another family to go with us and that mom asked me if I felt guilty when I told her about my day, um, nope, not at all. So tell me...When you take time out for just YOU, do you fell guilty?
The second my time card hits the the time clock, my mind is on anything that doesn't have to do with my employment. I look at it this way....I spend more of my time caring for complete strangers than I do for myself, so I do not feel guilty about "me" time at all.
My time off is extremely valuable to me, so I block any thoughts of the Hospital when I am not there.
It's obvious she has no idea what it means to be a nurse. It's different as a mom, all the coddling, cleaning, nose wiping, butt wiping when they are small. It's tiring, but since it's for your child, you love them and realize that's just the breaks. But sometimes being constantly needed and depended on by patients can get really exhausting. Sometimes when you get home from a really bad day you just want to hide in the bathroom and tell everyone that they are not allowed to need anything for 24 hours. Heck no I don't feel guilty. I would tell her I would feel more guilty not making myself a priority in my own life. If I need sleep, I sleep. If I feel like being active and running errands, I do so. If I need time to decompress and just veg, I also do that. What I do on my days off really varies. Sometimes I love the feeling of being really productive, other days, not at all. The one thing that is always consistent is that I allow myself at least a half day a week to tend to MY needs. My own preferred veg mode is to float in the pool.
I spent the entire day today perusing the internet and watching tv. I don't feel any guilt at all because I know come Monday I will be running around liked a blue orificed fly all day.
Scrubby...are you a Brit? I haven't heard that expression in ages.
I do this on a regular basis. At least 1/4 of my days off are spent sitting on the computer, watching TV, and doing nothing productive. Everyone needs a little lazy time once in awhile!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
not doing a blessed thing on your day off? I worked a 5 day stretch that was just awful. We were short-staffed and had really sick patients and needy families. Besides, I think I cleaned up more poop in those 5 days than I cleaned in the last 11 years. So, anyway, on Tuesday, I sat on the couch and did NOTHING. Not a darn thing. I read a book and watched TV. Took my daughter to swim team practice, then later I took both my kiddos to karate class and then made hubby take me out to dinner after, lol. We invited another family to go with us and that mom asked me if I felt guilty when I told her about my day, um, nope, not at all. So tell me...When you take time out for just YOU, do you fell guilty?
Nope. People probably think that I am a hermit, but I don't really enjoy spending time with many people; nursing can be physically and emotionally taxing, and sometimes, it is too much stimulus. I need to wind down. I am off three days for the 4th of July, and I don't intend to go ANYWHERE...and no regrets.
I work in med-surg/telemetry/tcu floor. Its so hectic and busy and the job is quite demanding with the paperwork, the family, the high acuity needy patient and family, and the amount of paperwork which we gotta double check and do 3 times over it seems like lolololol.
I do feel guilty at times when I don't pick up the phone when they call me to ask if I can pick up another shift coz they are short staff, but then I forget about it.
I live with my parents right now and I'm single and I enjoy my days off, I play computer games browsing the net, watching tv and sports. So in a way I dont feel guilty I have to enjoy this while it last.
Specializes in med-surg 5 years geriatrics 12 years.
Nope, don't feel the least bit guilty. I work nights and when I go home after the third shift, I sleep a bit then get up in my PJs and sprawl. The next day I won't be up and moving until late morning and I may just shower and find clean PJs. Do the housework a little at a time. frequent rests are a must !!
Interesting that another woman asked you if you felt guilty. Not a slam on her but it seems if women dare to take time for themselves it's a bad thing and we should feel bad about it when the opposite is true. If we want to give to others we need to take care of ourselves first. I think this is a crucial mistake a lot of women make especially mothers.
I clean up a little on days off, watch tv, play on the Internet, take long showers, read, go to dinner with hubby, etc. I work hard and deserve to be able to rest and play hard as well.
My work days - and I'm only part time - are physically and mentally draining (at least for me), with all that running around, polite interaction with other human beings and "customer satisfaction" ratings. On my days off I have to spend at least a couple of hours away from civilization. I see no one, I speak to no one - no one knows my exact whereabouts...
No matter that there's no food in the house (which, of course is a mess), the kitchen is stacked with dirty dishes and there's a ton of laundry, I have to escape into the country side on my bicycle... By the time I've cycled a few miles all that internal dialogue about work fades away, replaced by the majesty of the "big picture" and the "greater scheme of things" inspired by nature... Plus, cycling very fast down hill feels like flying!
Of course, I am reprimanded for taking time for myself when there's so much "more important" housework to be done, so I admit to feeling guilty, even though I don't actually feel that way and carry on regardless! And everyone is happy :hpygrp:
i have no idea how many times someone caught me in my nightshirt at 3:00 on days off and i didn't care.
we could work a week on and have a week off and that was often what i would do. after the weeks on, i was exhausted mentally and physically and all i cared about was resting and rejuvenating and restoring some peace and order to my soul. i just tuned out those who didn't understand the first couple of days of my week off. those were the same dolts who think my husband only works a couple of hours per day,
two or three days a week, and not at all in the summer...
I love my cat!
630 Posts
Never.
The second my time card hits the the time clock, my mind is on anything that doesn't have to do with my employment. I look at it this way....I spend more of my time caring for complete strangers than I do for myself, so I do not feel guilty about "me" time at all.
My time off is extremely valuable to me, so I block any thoughts of the Hospital when I am not there.