Nurse Life Balanced

Did you know that over half of all clinicians report symptoms of burnout? We recently hosted an event with Diana Page, who shared with us the 3 non-negotiables to give yourself more time and energy to live a life you love. Diana is a Neuro Nurse Practitioner, mentor for nurses and advanced practitioners, writer, speaker, a burnout survivor, and founder of Selfcare Catalyst.  Keep reading to learn what she taught us in an incredible live workshop with the Trusted Circle. 

Early on in her nursing career, Diana suffered from imposter syndrome, poor confidence, loss of identity, comparison, and tons of fear. Similar to what many clinicians may have experienced, she was dealing with a toxic workplace and lack of boundaries that led to overwhelm, resentment and nurse burnout. 

Instead of leaving her career as a nurse, she chose action, investing in herself through knowledge, leaving space for herself in her life, and reconnecting with her identity outside of her job. Through this, she transformed her life and overtime healed her burnout. She now shares the tools she’s cultivated to prevent from falling into the same patterns.  

You can watch the full event recording below!

The Key to Clinician Wellness: Discovering Your “FUN-Print”

“Having fun is not a diversion from a successful life, it’s the pathway to it.” Diana shares how exploring your fun-print is all about unlearning what your blockers are and re-learning what fun and freedom looks like to you. Your FUN-print is made of a pattern of activities that you enjoy the most. These are activities that make you feel good, energized, or even just at ease. Sometimes at the end of the day, calm and ease are what we look for the most. Think about this:

• What makes you come alive? 
• What will you look back on at the end of the day and how will you measure your life?
• What does success look like to you? 
• What are your core values? 

These all lead into creating Your Bliss List. When creating your bliss list, ask yourself these questions: 

• When are you happiest?
• What makes you feel at ease? 
• What makes you laugh? 
• What do you actually desire?
• What do you want to try? 
• What do you feel, what do you want to feel and what is step one to get there? 
• What are your hobbies? What do you miss from childhood and how can you incorporate that into your life now?

Common Challenges for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals

Do you feel like you don’t make enough time for fun in your life? Or perhaps you feel guilty when putting yourself first? These are questions Diana asked, which was met with the group’s resounding yes. We all experience similar blocks when creating more time and space for fun, sometimes not thinking of it as important. Think about this:

• Do you minimize the importance of play and bliss activities?
• View them as silly, time consuming, last on the priority list and unproductive? 
• Feel guilt or fear of what others will think? 
• Self conscious about your choices? 
• Or maybe perfectionism hits and you don’t want to “do it wrong” or “not good enough”

These are common thoughts that may block you from prioritizing yourself, and in turn lead to burnout. When we create time for fun and space for the things that make us happy, we are more productive, more focused, and more relaxed. The benefits of incorporating rest, joy, fun and play far outweigh the presumed “risk”. 

The Three Non-Negotiables: Time, Energy, and Boundaries

Diana shares the 3 non-negotiables to give you more energy and time to invest in yourself and living a life you love: 

1. Time

One of the biggest blocks we experience is the infamous “I don’t have time!” Here’s what Diana has to say: 

• You do have time, but you’re choosing your priorities. 
• Think about your core values and if you’re spending time on things that align with those 
• Take a hard look at where your time is going and:

• Set boundaries
• Delegate, automate, eliminate, simplify
• Decide you’re worthy and let go of guilt
• Intentionally plan your week and create space for you in your life

2. Energy

It’s hard to do fun stuff when your energy is drained and Diana points out the importance of looking at what gives you energy and what are the energy vampires you have control over. Here are some examples of each for you to think about: 

Energy Givers:

• Hobbies
• Community and connection
• Movement
• Eating regular, healthful meals and hydrating
• Good sleep
• A supportive work environment

Energy Vampires:

• Too much mindless scrolling
• Toxic people/work environments
• Not taking breaks and nourishing your body
• Poor work-life balance and overwork
• Too much junk food and a sedentary lifestyle

3. Boundaries

In order to prioritize time for yourself, it’s important to set boundaries. Boundaries are limits we set because we have limited resources. It’s important to think of this as a logical allocation of your resources, and not an emotional exchange. Every time you put your own happiness first, you are casting a vote for your more joyful, confident and empowered self – a version of you who is more equipped to show up authentically for others.

Empowering Your Wellness Journey: Next Steps and Further Reading

Diana shared such insightful tips and it was so great seeing our clinicians connect and make space for vulnerability by sharing their own experiences. It was a great reminder that you’re never alone in how you feel, and you have the power to take the first step towards living a life you love outside of your role as a clinician. You deserve it. 

Looking for more resources? Check out more articles on mental health and burnout below:

https://www.trustedhealth.com/blog/nurse-burnout

https://www.trustedhealth.com/blog/why-does-mindfulness-matter-for-nurses

https://www.trustedhealth.com/blog/holiday-mental-health-tips