What do you do if your work-life balance is affecting your job satisfaction in nursing?

The biggest mistake that nurses can make is to pick a nursing job and then try to fit their lifestyle around the job. It is important to realize nursing is full of opportunities beyond the bedside or even hospital. It is important to be honest with yourself about what you really want and need from your personal life and professional career.

You must absolutely set boundaries outside of work for self-care. It’s important to keep your hobbies and social engagements to avoid burnout. As we mentor others, we must also remember to practice our own recommendations. Try your best to keep those activities that center us and bring peace. It’s important to schedule time outside of work to spend with family and friends. Keep to traditions or make new ones that foster balance outside of work.

I have found that creating healthy boundaries between work and home life is very priceless because one of the greatest toll of imbalanced work/life is on our mental health. Those boundaries enable me to be productive at all times. Dedicating specific times for the roles I pray at work and home is vital. Most especially, sticking to it and not allowing anyone to encroach on those times.

This has always been a challenge for me. But, I’ve gotten much better over the years and learned that if I let others know my boundaries up front, it’s much easier to stick to them. For example, I like walking my dogs during the day and it’s a great time to clear my head in between meetings or tasks. So, I schedule these times into my day and block them out on my calendar. My colleagues respect those boundaries and work around them.

Definitely setting boundaries is key. I hated when charge nurses tried to guilt staff into staying longer. "No."is a sentence. people might not want to hear it, it is still a response.

Whether you are a novice nurse, experienced nurse, educator or leader, it is imperative to set boundaries! Setting boundaries with patients, colleagues and or supervisors is mandatory. Being able to articulate these boundaries are essential. Nurses need to learn when to turn off the work mode and let it be. Also please recognize what a toxic workplace or toxic boss looks like and steer clear!!

I work on a product team, so we work in sprints. This keeps my work very streamlined and focused. I e found it helps my productivity because I don’t try to multitask too much anymore. Choose one thing and work on it. When you give something your entire attention, it’s easier to stay productive and create a quality product.

Simply say NO! You absolutely cannot do all of the things!! Be able to carefully prioritize and understand what is a must and what can wait. This goes for your nursing career and personal life!! New nurses learn how delegate! Say yes to things that are impactful and most important to you. For example you can have 1 mentee but if you can’t handle more than 1, then just be honest. If you’re given multiple deliverables then ask which is most important.

Effective communication and timely communication are important. If the workload is simply too big or unrealistic to be completed in time then you need to verbalize it. Or you can ask for support and ask if other colleagues can help. Having a strong support system outside of work is also important for your health.

Nurses have a natural tendency to take care of everyone else and sometimes neglect their own self care needs. I know I struggled with me a lot as a novice nurse. I learned different strategies while at work such as listening to music while on break , going for walks outside on my lunch and stretching. At home I found that sleeping was a game changer!! In my recent doctoral work I created a toolkit for stress reduction for nurses. Things such as gratitude journaling, pet therapy, prayer, social support,sleep, physical activity and healthy eating can help reduce stress.

Continuous evaluation and adjustments of my work - life is very important in maintaining balance. Be open minded and try new approaches. Assess what is working and what's not. Change or adopt new ways of creating balance. To maintain a thriving nursing career, this approach must not be neglected in trying to maintain healthy work - life balance

Life is rarely 50/50. Work/life balance is, in many ways, similar to relationships. In a healthy relationship one partner may at times give 70% while the other only gives 30%. At another time, in that same relationship, it may be reversed. Weighing our efforts in our work life and home life can often mirror this give-and-take. Having realistic expectations that sometimes one or the other will take precedence is key to maintaining boundaries and keeping vigilance to avoid over extending yourself. When work requires more time and energy establish timeframes and end goals so that it does not take over other areas of life . Likewise, when family requires more also take time to prioritize.

Ultimately, it's up to you to take inventory of your work-life balance and make any necessary adjustments to improve your job satisfaction. Whether that means carving out more time for self-care or making changes in your work environment, taking action to address your concerns is an important step in maintaining a fulfilling career in nursing.

After working in one toxic environment after another, I changed careers and never looked back! Nursing has some big issues. We need to look at why nurses take out their frustrations on one another and fix the underlying issues producing such toxic attitudes and behaviours. If you’ve had enough of these unhealthy environments, change careers, and never look back. Anything is possible! Be good to yourself!

Long hours, emotionally taxing work, and demanding schedules can all contribute to feeling burnt out. Making time for yourself outside of work is crucial for maintaining job satisfaction and preventing burnout. This might mean setting aside time for hobbies, exercise, or spending time with loved ones. If you find that your work-life balance is still out of whack despite your best efforts, it may be time to consider making changes in your work environment. This could mean speaking to your supervisor about shifting your schedule/reducing your workload, or even exploring new job opportunities that better align with your desired work-life balance.

After working in one toxic environment after another, I changed careers and never looked back! Nursing has some big issues. We need to look at why nurses take out their frustrations on one another and fix the underlying issues producing such toxic attitudes and behaviours. If you’ve had enough of these unhealthy environments, change careers, and never look back. Anything is possible! Be good to yourself!