Recently, I've found myself in more and more conversations about burnout. Most of the time, these chats happen with my school friends. Nursing school will give you all kinds of burnout. But I've also heard from nurses at work, doctors, friends in other majors, teachers etc. Nursing and teaching are two fields in which burnout is especially common. Both professions are very physically and emotionally taxing. Both involve service- putting aside your needs to make the needs of others the priority, day in and day out. Burnout can happen for anyone. College students, I know you hear me. Moms, I'm sure you're feeling it. For me, the service and care aspect of nursing is exactly what draws me. It can also be what steers me right to being burned out if I am not careful. So this post is for you- nursing student, nurse, teaching student, teacher, college student, mom, whoever. This is for the person who just feels done. We can't effectively serve others if we are burned out. It's that whole can't pour from an empty cup thing, ya know? There's a lot of truth there. Let's talk about some ways we can avoid burnout, yes? These are pretty general, and for everyone. So don't tune out if you're not a teacher or a nurse. :) 1. Set Boundaries There's a whole lot of ways to do this one. Fellow students- one way I have set a boundary is by making sure I set aside one day/afternoon/night a week to set aside all school related things, and do something fun. I've got to have that time to recharge and remind myself I'm more than just a nursing student, you know? Try setting aside one time a week that is just for you. I also stop working on anything school related by 9pm. This helps me to decompress from the day and actually get some sleep. Nothing propels me to burnout faster than lack of sleep. I also have tried implementing boundaries with my phone. When I notice social media becoming a negative influence on me, I take a step back and delete the apps for a while. I also know people who have a set time in which they totally stop looking at their phones. Around 8pm, the alarm is set and the phone is out of reach. No work related texts, no school related emails, no mindless scrolling for those set hours. Sounds pretty wise, huh? Maybe a boundary for you means learning how to say no, how to not take on too many things at once. There are so many ways to set boundaries in our lives, and it is such a personal thing. 2. Do a little health inventory. Okay stay with me here. I've learned a few things from seeing a therapist over the years. One of those things is the effects of chronic stress. When we are in a hectic season where everything feels nonstop, it is so easy for us to neglect the most simple aspects of our health. We (without even realizing it usually) shift into survival mode. Every day we function in this haze of stress, crossing off to-do lists and just trying to get it all done. Then we might feel overwhelmed with the idea that we need to do some kind of major thing in order to decrease that stress. I'm not telling you to drop everything and sign up for a month long yoga retreat in the desert. Start with a little inventory. Write these down if it helps. How many hours of sleep are you getting, honestly? If the answer is 5 or less, there's a physiological cause for elevated stress hormone, cortisol. Some may argue with a "Oh I'm fine with like three hours of sleep and a red bull, I'm just that kind of person". Nope. Raise your hand if you are a human. If your hand is raised, your body needs consistent, sufficient sleep to function. Period. Next, what are some practical steps you can take to get more sleep? Try them. Next, are you drinking water throughout the day? Maybe that "stress headache" is being fueled by dehydration. Try this with nutrition and movement too. These are simple things, but they are things that you have control over. 3. Give yourself some grace. I'll make this one short. Stop being so hard on yourself. You are doing your best. You are enough. You are able. Give yourself the same kindness, gentleness, and grace that you'd give your dearest friend. Take a deep breath. You are enough. 4. Get away. Change up your environment. This one is huge for me. I love traveling, and every time I go somewhere new I feel completely refreshed. Our days can get so routine, going to the same places, doing the same things. When we take a little time to explore and be in a new environment, it's like we are pressing a reset button. Over my break I have a short trip to Nashville planned. I have tried to travel somewhere during each of my nursing school breaks. Traveling fills up my heart and makes me feel new. You don't even have to travel anywhere really, just try something new in your own city. A new museum, a new park, a new outdoor activity, etc. Break up your routine and let yourself be curious and adventurous. Go explore a little. You are enough, you are loved, and you are seen. Ok byyee :)
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Hey there, I'm Courtney.
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