When you just don't want to go to work....

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Although I love my job, and would not work anywhere else, sometimes when I've had a day off and I am going back for a three day (12 hr shifts) run, I just don't feel like going! Sometimes I'm a little sad, pre-occupied, or just need time for myself. I know I have to go anyway. You can't just stay home because you want to. So here is my question for you all: What do you do motivate yourself, to psych yourself up, or help yourself look forward to going in to work at those times when you do not feel like going? I'd love some advice!

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Specializes in geriatrics.

I daydream about my upcoming vacation when I don't feel like going to work.

Or I tell myself, "It's only 8 hours. You can do anything for 8 hours."

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I look at my schedule to see who I work with that day. 😂 lol

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When I worked my job at the clinic, I had 1 nice night a week. Friday. I would eat pizza and watch Modern Family and text my friends. I'd have a house full of teenage boys downstairs, Life was good. I'd go to bed slightly buzzed and happy.

Saturday morning I would wake up and the apprehension would start. I knew I had errands and busy stuff and events and where was my down time?

Sunday, I started pacing. I would try to read, put on music, cook, walk...by Sunday night I would be full throttle Uuuuuugh about Monday, dreading the sick calls I would get at 2am from my staff.

It was a great job in that I learned so much, great staff, salty patients, but the work load and what 1 of me was expected to do was overloaded.

I quit. I now work 2 jobs, and I don't have these feelings any more.

What worked for me> Wine. Just kidding, kinda.

WALKING, getting my face in the sun, having down time, being by myself, reading, spending time with my kids, my GF's, pets...

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
It was a great job in that I learned so much, great staff, salty patients, but the work load and what 1 of me was expected to do was overloaded.

Salty patients?

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Salty patients?

Sassy?

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
Sassy?

Ohhhhhh. In my head I was wondering what they were salty about 😂

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I went per diem lol

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I went per diem lol

My best life ever was when I was PD at Employee Health. I worked when I wanted, with an amazing team, I got to see everyone I worked with, and I got to stick people with needles all day long. Bliss.

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

This probably isn't the kind of answer you're looking for but when I have a bad case of the I don't want to go's I think about how skimpy my paycheck will be if I stay home.

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I feel that way every day.

I just go because I have to. I used to have panic attacks and my husband would talk me through them. Once I get there, it's not so bad. I like the people I work with.

I don't like the company, or the unit, very much.

But, we need the money, and I have had SOOO MANY jobs over the last two years, so...

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I fall into the mentality of living for my days off and dreading my days on too :/ I remind myself that it's never as bad once I get there. I remind myself how lucky I am to have a job and imagine the pickle I'd be in if I were unemployed. I get excited about the people I get to work with. I Google motivational music and speeches :) I try to remember how happy and excited I was when I was first offered the job - when I saw it as an opportunity instead of a burden. Sometimes it can seem like the days I work are pretty much "lost days" and kind of don't count. This sounds super cheesy, but instead of separating it out like that into "on" days and "off" days, I try to view every day as just another day in a life I'm lucky to have. As I'm walking into work, I tell myself that there's a specific purpose for me to be at work that day. Even if it's super small and I don't even know what it is, it's always possible that I could do/say something that will have a serious positive impact on somebody! That thought cheers me up a bit as I'm walking through the front door and mentally saying goodbye to sunlight and freedom for the next 13 hours :)

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