Coping With Stress from Work

Coping With Stress from Work Let's face it, nursing can be a very stressful job. In any given work shift you hold countless lives in your hand, in addition to doing everything else a nurse does. You run from room to room, and give new meaning to the word “multitasking”. So how do you cope with the stress and relax?

Learn to Let Go Letting a stressful day go is easier said than done. It's very common to play the day's event over in your mind, especially if they are out of the normal, often the case in a hospital. The first step to letting go is to actually do just that, let it go. Try downloading a recording journal app for your phone.

When you leave work, as soon as you get in the car, make a recorded journal entry of the day. What could have been better, what was good, and what wasn’t? Venting is a great way of letting go, and by making a Journal out of it, you can refer to it later. It's nice to go back and see even when things seem terrible, there is always a new day. Once you have voiced the day's events, it will help ease, your mind. It's over, and you can let it go.

Find Your Stress Relief Everyone has something they enjoy doing, and when you enjoy doing something it relieves stress. Find your hobby, something you really enjoy, and spend some time each day engaged in it. The most recent craze is adult coloring, and there are even apps designed for that, it actually can be very relaxing.

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Get Physical It may seem strange after a hard day of work to implement an exercise routine, but it will help. It's not the same as caring for patients, but the right kind of exercise can help eliminate the stress of the day. Depending on the day, a punching bag can do wonders, or even a low-impact aerobics class--anything to get those endorphins released.

Yoga

What better way to relax than to take a yoga class and learn the techniques so you can practice them at home. Proper stretching and movements can ease tense muscles and free your mind from an exhausting day. Yoga utilizes both mind and body techniques to promote the ultimate relaxation, so it may be a good option for eliminating stress.

Meditation Meditation is very effective in relieving stress. In order to properly spend time meditating, you have to designate alone time in a quiet place with no distractions. Remove cell phones and other electronic devices, turn off TV’s etc. Sit quietly in a comfortable position and take 10 deep breaths. As you release each breath, imagine blowing out the stress of the day. After breathing exercises, imagine yourself in a place that is very relaxing, a beach, or wherever you are comfortable. Slowly roll your head side to side, and continue with slow breathing. Practice this for 30 minutes and soon you will develop a habit that is good for you and relieves stress naturally. Deep breathing is a natural stress reducer in itself, while it lowers blood pressure as well. Deep breathing techniques can be practiced while on break during work, it will help regenerate you for the remainder of your shift.

Pamper Yourself Why not schedule a massage, and get yourself pampered for a change?

Nurses tend to give continuously, so it's only fair that you receive some pampering yourself. Some studios offer discounts to health care professionals, check online coupons or maybe your HR department has knowledge of employee discount programs.

Pet your Pets Spend more time with your pets. It's true, petting an animal lowers stress and blood pressure. If you don't own a pet, consider doing an hour of volunteer work at the shelter, and pet your stress away.

Laughter Laughter just may actually be the best medicine. Watch a comedy and laugh that stress away, it really does work.

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Music Very few people are unaffected by music. Whatever kind of music is your preference put it on and listen for at least 30 minutes. It's hard to feel bad or reminiscent of your work day when great tunes are playing.

Stress is a part of life, and every job contributes stress to our lives. It's important to recognize that stress is normal; it will occur, however, it's how you deal with it that can make a difference. Maybe you are aware of that saying, “this too shall pass”, think of that when you have a bad day. Every day is different, and some days may make you question your career choice.

The next day, however, can remind you exactly why you became a nurse in the first place. Essentially, it all balances out.

Never lose your sense of humor. If your patient is up to it, share a little humor with them as well. Happiness and humor go hand in hand and are contagious, so spread a little joy. Be happy at your job, life is much too short to spend too much time unhappy, so make the best of your work day, and others may follow your path. Happy people are less stressed, and find it easier to let things go, including an eventful work day.

Learning to manage stress and gain control over your own stress level can be done with some effort and practice. It takes 21 days for the brain to accept a new procedure as a habit or regular occurrence. Keep practicing ways to reduce stress, and soon it will be routine, and you will find yourself less stressed and feeling better overall. The less stressed you are, the healthier you are, it's a fact that people that are less stressed have fewer colds and illnesses. Take control of the stress from work, instead of letting it control you, and you can officially say you have properly managed your stress.

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