December Doldrums

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

Anyone else feeling December Doldrums? I am totally unmotivated and can only think about what I plan to do over winter break! I have a few projects to wrap up, and work can *always* be found, but I front loaded my year and now I feel like I'm just waiting for winter break - haha!

It also got me wondering if there is any research out there about the stresses of the school cycle.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i have been so sick the past few weeks that i just can't motivate myself. I'm getting my baseline work done and some of the constants done, but beyond that i could just put my head down on the desk and sleeeeep. Shhh... don't disturb the nurse with your petty complaints while she's napping. I walked by one of the kinder classes the other day and seriously thought about curling up along with them.

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

I've got a pile of paperwork wanting to be sorted away that somehow keeps growing each week. I also was sick the last 2 weeks which slowed me down. This month seems to be filled with lots of activities, before school breakfasts, concerts, recitals, etc. LOTS of distractions!

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

Hang in there, y'all!!!

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

I was also sick over Thanksgiving, and I'm just feeling back to normal this week. That has definitely contributed to my lack of motivation!

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

I've got a pile of paperwork wanting to be sorted away that somehow keeps growing each week. I also was sick the last 2 weeks which slowed me down. This month seems to be filled with lots of activities, before school breakfasts, concerts, recitals, etc. LOTS of distractions!

Honestly, I am SO GLAD I am not the only one with a procrastination pile. Haha! I was just reading this article about how to manage the stress of a school year and one tip was to assign tasks to a day - like Fridays are file random paperwork days. I am going to try that!

Here's the article I read: How to End the 24/7 Teacher Stress Cycle | Teach 4 the Heart

I also do #1, which is have a routine for the first things you do when arriving to work, and the final things you do before leaving. That's helpful, too :)

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

i have been so sick the past few weeks that i just can't motivate myself. I'm getting my baseline work done and some of the constants done, but beyond that i could just put my head down on the desk and sleeeeep. Shhh... don't disturb the nurse with your petty complaints while she's napping. I walked by one of the kinder classes the other day and seriously thought about curling up along with them.

Call me crazy, but have you been to your PCP??

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

yeah - i'm finishing up my Z pack. I don't get sick often but when I do it hits me like a herd of buffalo.

It's funny, I have felt this way for the past several weeks. Thought it was just me, but am hearing from many people that they have all sort of hit their wall. A lot like how I feel late May when I am just over it and ready for Summer, LOL.

[LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN]

Based on the research of comments from this thread, YES, there is data that all of us feel this way!

[SaltineQueen]

for sure! I have some things that I should do & lots that I could do...but I just don't want to. I've had a really good year, don't have any complex kiddos, and my visits are way down. Makes for some long, slow days.

[AdobeRN]

December is always the worst for me - we go on Thanksgiving break come back and count down begins for Xmas break in 3 weeks - I don't want to do anything during the 3 weeks between Thanksgiving and Xmas break.

Jan & Feb are also usually pretty slow for me - not in a student illness kind of way but with all the administrative stuff we are required to do - I have all of my administrative stuff done by December so Jan & Feb can have long, boring days at times. It will ramp back up with me at end of March when I start getting stuff ready for the next school year, kinder registration etc.