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CNAs are not machines that work endlessly with no break. No one is. Without proper CNA work-life balance, burnout and unwanted stress are inevitable. By allocating enough time to spend on your personal needs and relationships, you reduce the risk of burnout while greatly improving your mental and physical health. As a direct result, productivity improves since well-rested employees have the energy to commit to their tasks fully. Finding a balance is easier said than done, but with the right approach, you can improve your quality-of-life in no time.
Establishing boundaries: Trying to have some “me time” with work at the back of your mind will only lead to unwanted stress. For your nurse work life balance, you want to be fully present in the moment. The best way to achieve this is to establish clear boundaries between your professional and personal life. An example of this is minimizing the time spent checking on work emails, outside of work. You can spend a short amount of time, but you cannot let it rule your schedule. Setting these boundaries will do wonders for your nurse work life.
Taking Care of Yourself: When you hear the word self-care, you might think of “eating tons of junk food” or “binging an entire Netflix TV show in one night.” While indulging like that is fine, in moderation, there are healthier and more sustainable practices that you can incorporate to your life. Breathing exercises can be worked into your schedule and are a powerful way to relieve work-related stress. Investing in a hobby is another way you can make “me-time” more productive and relaxing. If a big football game or painting session helps you destress, that is good for your CNA work life balance.
Set reasonable goals: Even at home, there is no worse feeling that you have not “accomplished”anything. At the same time, there is only so much time and energy in the day, especially after work. For a nurse’s work-life balance, you want to start with small goals. For example, you do not start exercising with intense 2-hour cardio circuits. Instead, you set aside time for light and quick workouts that escalate until you settle into a regular routine. Whether it is exercise, or personal study, small goals provide a steady feeling of progress, amidst a hectic CNA work life.
Build relationships: Life is a journey that no man has to go about, alone. Outside of your nurse work life, you want to spend time with those who care for you the most. Whether it is your family, friends or significant other, spending time with people that care about you can help melt all the worries of the day away. This may seem like an obvious suggestion but in the midst of a hectic work schedule, the simple things get forgotten far too often.
Flexible Shifts: Forced overtime is no good for a CNA’s work-life balance. When you are staffed full-time and your manager calls you in the middle of your day off, you have no choice but to put in your extra hours. Utilizing Vitawerks’ flexible AI-based matchmaking platform changes things completely. You get to be your own boss and choose your own hours, all while making even more salary than your full time counterparts. This flexible set-up can really help make your CNA work life much less stressful. You do not need to work through fatigue any longer.
These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg, when it comes to your work-life balance as a nurse. At the end of the day, it is all about priorities. While it is good to strive for long term professional goals, they cannot be the be-all, end-all. If your only priority is work, then the work will suffer. You cannot forget to spend time on what makes you happy. Achieving personal goals or forming meaningful relationships with others can melt the anxieties of hospital life. A well-rested worker is happier, more motivated and more productive, as well. This way, everybody wins.