“I’m tired all the time. I don’t have any energy at all” says the busy and stressed out nurse. Or maybe even a little less loud- but maybe a little worse- “I like to read. I enjoy reading. I just don’t have time to read.”
Being a nurse coach I hear and see it all the time. The stress in nursing. Or is it? To me, it isn’t the stress of nursing at all that comes into play here. It is something very different- something very easy to change- something we may not want to hear.
It is us.
We have a choice every moment of our lives- which to me, is one of the beautiful things about living as a human being in this great country of ours. We have a choice.
So my husband and I love to watch Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Don’t ask me why- it’s actually a very depressing show when you really think about it. Maybe it’s the characters (we love Munch and Fin); maybe it’s the underlying psychology of it all (I was a psych major with a sociology minor in my first undergrad degree); maybe it’s that we like to play detective (we both try to ‘guess’ who the actual bad guy is- because you know there is always a twist); maybe it’s because it’s the one show we both enjoy so we actually get to spend time together in that way… who knows. We just like it.
Now that being said- I could spend all of my nights watching SVU (it’s on almost every night of the week on some channel or another) OR I could choose to do something else with my time.
Again- it all comes down to choice.
- Do I want to choose to sit on the couch and watch TV? How will I feel after I do that for a couple of hours? How is that helping me and my health in the long run? What are the costs-benefits to doing that during my free time?
- Do I have other things I can do with my time? I told my health coach the other day that I enjoyed reading. I also love to dance. I like music and I find Yoga relaxing. Could I possibly pull myself away from the television to do something for me for a change?
- What is going to energize me? What activity is going to make me feel more energized? What activity is going to drain me? What do I do?
Well, I can’t tell you what to do. We are all adults here and we are going to do what we want to do no matter what I say or write on this blog.
But I can tell you this: the nights that I lie around watching TV all night I am not energized. And this past week when my Yoga class was cancelled because of the snow- I could have easily watched TV. But instead I knew I had a choice. I chose energy. I chose health. I went into the other room and turned on some soft music. I did my own Yoga class without the class and teacher. I did my own meditation. I did my own self-Reiki. I energized and I felt well.
What choices come before you in your own life? How do you choose your health? What choices fill you up with energy? Let’s hear of some of the energizing activities you choose to do each day!
Excellent work – thanks! Most of us, Nurses included, spend very little time thinking or paying much attention to our lives. We act and react automatically, which can leave damaging habits ingrained. We might easily address them and greatly benefit, if only we took a little time to assess ourselves & plan a little. For example, if you need more/better sleep, figure out what you may be doing wrong, as in late night TV – the light can impair ability to sleep and you can hardly sleep enough if you set aside too little time for it! If you lack energy and you’re not sleeping enough, and you’re not doing anything about it, I ask WHY? We choose our actions, thoughtfully or not, but the consequences choose themslves. Complaining offers some benefit and much harm, whereas solving your problems feels good and makes a solid investment in a better life. It’s basic nursing process, really: assess yourself & your life, note the problems, plan, act, assess. Repeat as much as needed and notice just how much better your life gets when you do something about it.
Greg,
Thanks for coming over to the blog and sharing a comment! I really appreciate it. I enjoyed reading your words and your perspective. You bring up a great example- watching late night television and how that impacts our health. As we’ve shared, we choose our actions. We make choices that impact our health daily. I love your point of view in that you state- “the consequences choose themselves”. And applying the nursing process to this topic- a genius way to look at it! Thank you for that insight. Maybe if we make it that easy- more nurses will listen up!
Have a healthy day,
Elizabeth
I love the way you remind us to ask specific questions like;
What activity will energize me? and what will drain me?
Nowadays, I’ve found it’s really important for me to include activities that energize me more in my life.
Hi Joyce,
Thanks so much for reading!! I am happy to have your comment here on the blog, thank you. Great feedback on the specific questions… I like hearing what other nurses think of the articles and how they find them useful or not. So it is good to hear that the questions helped you, thanks. I agree with you- doing what energizes is the sure-fire way to feel well, happy, peaceful, and whole!! Glad to see you here. Come visit again.
Have a healthy day,
Elizabeth