Here's how you can incorporate self-care practices into your daily routine for work-life balance.

Prioritize Sleep: Getting enough restful sleep is essential for both physical and mental well-being. A consistent sleep schedule will help you feel energized and focused throughout the day. Mind-Body Practices: Consider starting your day with activities like meditation, yoga, or light exercise. These practices can help reduce stress, improve focus, and boost your mood. Nourishing Breakfast: Fuel your body with a healthy and satisfying breakfast. This will give you sustained energy and prevent unhealthy snacking later in the morning. Set Intentions: Take a few minutes to reflect on your goals for the day. This could involve prioritizing tasks, visualizing success, or simply setting a positive intention for the day ahead.

Try to find a few moments each day to do things that help you relax and feel better, like exercising, meditating, or doing things you love. Make sure to set boundaries between work and personal time so you can fully relax and recharge. Taking care of yourself isn't just good for you but helps you be more productive and happier in your work and personal life.

Getting sleep will always be a number one priority for starting a healthy and active morning ritual. I’m a believer that an alarm with the same time each day, also greatly helps my morning rituals. Then going off of what your body needs is a key as well. This can look like beginning with stretching and some yoga or just going out and getting some sunlight while drinking tea. Getting active is important whether it is intense cardio or or just a walk with your dog. Nutrition should be a part of a morning ritual. We don’t need all of the food groups every morning, especially if you’re like me and do not like to eat first thing in the morning but, it is important to get the metabolism started each morning.

As someone who had to work two full-time jobs for six year span to earn my nursing degree. I realized that my body would crave unnecessary snacks and meals at inappropriate times because of a poor life balance out of necessity. Setting time aside to meal prep and enjoy the moments to learn a new skill or new cultural cuisine, gave me time to focus on my own personal hobbies, which encouraged me to create the habit of a healthy lifestyle. In order for patients in the community to take our professional recommendations and plans for their own health and well-being sincerely. We must be willing to also go above and beyond for nutritional self-care.

At times overworking can lead to poor social balance. This can happen because the hours you work are the opposite of the traditional 9 to 5 or (graveyard). Choosing to work or working out of necessity may cause you to miss out on important holidays and special family and friends events. Missing out on these events may cause you to feel like you’re losing important relationships in your life. It’s OK to say no to the overtime shift and it’s OK to take a occasional mental health day. If you’re not enjoying your own social connections and relationships that are personally important. You will not be able to function for the highest capacity in the workplace. Humans need social interactions as nurses we are taught to heal the mind, body, soul.

It’s OK to find peace in religion, the gym, fishing, or even an advocacy group in your community. You are needed, and there are people that only you can reach and advocate for that only can relate to you. The expiration date on your life and those around you are unknown, spend time enjoying the things you love and focus on your passions. Happiness is like medicine for the soul.