Are you overwhelmed? Nurses work several schedules; full time, part-time, Per Diem, an eight-hour or twelve-hour shifts. Even with the choice of schedule, nurses also have their family, health issues, personal issues, or school to worry about daily. Things can get busy, quickly. In a small duration, it can be fine, but if you find that the constant state of busy has become your normal, that’s when things go wrong.
#1 Chaos rarely gets things done.
Now, most of us, when we are busy, we start to skip tasks that are not a priority. The individual will find that with new issues or duties that need to be done; anxiety adds up with the items that have been pushed aside. This will drown a person. The person begins to feel like there is no end in sight and becomes overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious. The individual, and others close to them will also feel pushed aside. Some people work better under pressure, and if you do, that’s great. As a great man once said, “Don’t half-ass two things, whole ass one thing,” Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec. Prioritize the most important things and really focus on accomplishing those. Allow yourself to no worry about the less important items.
#2 Burn out.
When an individual is unable to find a healthy balance between work, family, and other priorities, the constant stress and anxiety build over time. Nurses at work, whether work is the cause or not, the work of the nurse will suffer. The nurse’s patents towards coworkers and patients run out, causing flights, or arguments and creating an unpleasant experience for all those involve. The mind of the nurse fractured between work and other events produces opportunities for mistakes, from dressing a wound the wrong way to giving the wrong medication to the wrong patient. The health of the nurse will suffer, and the nurse will be more likely to succumb to burn out on the job.
#3 Overall mental health.
Clarity and balance will reduce stress in your life and others around you. Excess anxiety will have short term and long term detriments to your mental and physical health. Taking time away from one or more sources of the stress even for a short time allows you to refocus and recenter the situation. Refocusing yourself and mind will help in finding new energy and resolutions with the cause of anxiety.
Whether students or nurses, everyone has a multitude of events going on in their life. The problem is staying ahead and remaining balanced in your day to day life.