As a nurse, your shift can be non-stop, leaving little room for you to think about anything other than your patients. But what about you? It’s easy to neglect your own well-being when you’re focused on others, but practicing nurse self-care strategies can help you manage stress, maintain your health, and stay energized throughout the day. In this article, we will give you some nurse self-care strategies in the form of a real-world guide.
The Shift Begins: Finding Your Groove
It’s the start of the shift on the unit, and you’re in report, listening to updates about the patients you’ll be assigned. You’ve hopefully had your coffee or hot drink of choice and are hoping that it lasts you through the first 2–3 hours of your shift, if you’re lucky. Once you get your assignment, you’re off to the races! Yes, you’re doing well, managing your patients’ varying needs. Most importantly, you’ve promised yourself to stay on top of your health with some new nurse self-care strategies, like eating better and keeping your cool when stress levels start to rise.
The Forgotten Lunch: A Common Self-Care Slip
Well, you’ve found your groove, and it’s now past 12 pm. You go to the staff fridge in the breakroom only to find that your lunch is nowhere to be found. Oh no! It’s still sitting on your kitchen counter at home because you remembered that you wanted to add an extra apple to it for a healthier meal today.
This is where one of the most important nurse self-care strategies comes into play: self-compassion. Give yourself grace, reset, and remember that these small setbacks don’t define your journey. Using self-kindness as a tool will help you navigate the day and keep you on track with your goals.
Breathe: Regulate and Reset
Breathing is one of the most effective ways to manage stress. Slow, mindful breathing can help you regulate your emotions and calm your thoughts. Cognition declines when stress is elevated, so taking a few moments to focus on your breath can significantly improve your ability to manage both acute and chronic stress.
Breathing exercises help activate the vagus nerve, which is key to regulating your nervous system. When you practice breathing techniques, you increase vagal tone and promote a calm, focused state—a crucial self-care strategy for nurses dealing with high-pressure environments.
Purposeful Movement: Release Stress
Movement is a great way to channel nervous energy into positive action. Walking, dancing, or even light stretching helps release endorphins that improve your mood and mental clarity.
In the heat of the moment, taking a short walk off the unit can be a simple yet powerful nurse self-care strategy. It offers a reset and can prevent snap decisions, helping you approach situations with a clearer mind.
Preparedness: Plan for Your Energy Dips
Being prepared is another key nurse self-care strategy. If you know that your blood sugar tends to dip at a certain time, have easy, portable snacks on hand. Planning ahead allows you to maintain steady energy levels and avoid making unhealthy food choices when you’re too busy to think clearly.
Having healthy options readily available is a great way to avoid those “I’ll grab whatever’s closest” moments. It’s a proactive approach to fueling your body for sustained energy throughout the day.
Know Your Hunger Signals
Hunger isn’t always physical. Sometimes, we hunger for emotional connection, rest, or relief from stress. As nurses, we tend to give so much of ourselves to others that we forget to refill our own emotional tank.
One important nurse self-care strategy is to stay in tune with your own needs. Recognize when you’re craving more than just food—when you need rest, a break, or a few minutes of quiet. It’s vital to be mindful of your emotional and physical needs in order to maintain balance.
The Power of Words: Speak to Yourself With Compassion
How would you treat your best friend? That’s how you should treat yourself. Speak to yourself with the same care and compassion you offer your patients.
The words we use shape our thoughts and beliefs. Choosing kind, encouraging words—even during moments of self-doubt—will empower you to maintain your focus and peace. Treating yourself with empathy is one of the simplest but most profound nurse self-care strategies.
Progress Over Perfection
Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress. Every step you take toward improving your well-being counts, no matter how small.
Every positive choice you make—whether it’s breathing, moving, or eating well—contributes to your overall health. As bell hooks teaches, spiritual practices can be simple, everyday actions like going outside for fresh air or taking a mindful pause. These moments of restoration matter.
Light Hygiene: Improve Sleep and Mood
Managing your exposure to light can significantly impact your mood and sleep quality. Blue light from screens can disrupt your circadian rhythms, affecting your energy levels and emotional balance.
A simple yet effective nurse self-care strategy is to limit screen time and increase your exposure to natural light, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime. This can improve sleep and ensure you’re well-rested and ready to take on the next shift.
Conscious Consumption: Protect Your Energy
While food is important, so is the information you consume. The news, social media, and other external sources can overwhelm your mental space. One of the best nurse self-care strategies is to limit your exposure to sources that drain your energy.
Choose content that informs and uplifts you, not what stresses or depresses you. Be mindful of the media you engage with, and protect your peace from unnecessary anxiety.
You Are Enough
The journey to better health is personal and unique. It’s okay to have setbacks, like eating that cupcake or skipping a workout. These moments don’t define you.
Remember, your body is more than just a number on a scale. It’s your partner in caregiving, your vessel for life. Practice self-compassion and focus on the progress you’ve made, not on any perceived “failures.”
You are doing enough. You are more than enough. Your well-being matters, and it’s essential to prioritize your health just as much as you prioritize the care of others.
Conclusion: Empower Your Self-Care Journey
Remember, nurse self-care strategies aren’t about perfection—they’re about balance and progress. Small, mindful choices each day can help you sustain your energy, protect your mental health, and show up as the best version of yourself for both your patients and your own well-being.
You’ve got this. You are enough, and your health and happiness matter!
All in all, the journey is just that, a journey, and it is unique to everyone. Rather than telling yourself that you’ve failed as you decide to eat the cupcakes and then go to the cafeteria to get whatever you can scrounge up, take heart. Your body is more than just the weight it’s trying to lose. Your friends and family are most likely not concerned about being the best at reaching your health goals, and love you as they might. You remember this and stop self-flagellation because you’re worth kind words to yourself.
You put your phone away and try to find other ways to make up for this cheat. Remember that food is indeed just food, and we cannot assign it any more power or function than it already has: to give us energy.
You remember your reasons for wanting to get healthier in the first place and recall that low energy, iron levels, hormonal imbalances, or poor digestion may have been your primary drivers for wanting to get healthy.
Remembering that stress is indeed counterintuitive you also remember that as you care for your patients and even your lives loved ones, at times we forget the relationship that we have with things that are around us like food or even habits like worry and social media use, we give far more weight to the bad that we may do rather than focusing on what matters like experiences with those we care about and even ourselves. You can do this. You are enough as you are, and your highest priority at the end of the day is you. Be empowered and encouraged. Keep this guide for nurse self-care strategies handy and refer back to it when you are feeling down.
Do you have any nurse self-care strategies to share with your fellow travel nurses? Or have you found other resources with nurse self-care strategies you would like to share? Comment them below.
Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!
Are you on the hunt for your next travel nurse gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities.
Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment
Need somewhere to stay on your next travel nurse assignment? We’ve got you covered. Check out our housing page to find your ideal home away from home. Click here to start your search.
