While there are many reasons for nurse burnout (difficult patients, unhealthy work environments, co-worker hostility, and patient acuity to name a few) the issues you may face during your nursing career are external. Think about it- the examples given all have to do with other people, places and/or things.

As an adult, I am sure you can agree that it is impossible to change another person’s behavior. Think about a challenging patient you may have provided discharge teaching to. You go over the medications, prescribed diet and recommended exercises during your the discharge process only to feel in the pit of your stomach an unsettling feeling that this patient isn’t listening, doesn’t really care and will never do any of the things you’re sharing with them.

Adults make decisions for themselves- based on their own thoughts, feelings, perceptions, memories, experiences and beliefs. And the very worst thing we can do to another adult is try to make them do what we want them to. Add onto this challenge the very nature of the ever-changing healthcare system. With all of the structure, processes and political hierarchy that one has to go through to get changes made- it’s no wonder we feel exhausted at the end of the day.

External change takes time.

Want to hear the good news? There is something within your control. You can impart change in one particular area. Want to know where you can have the most impact?

You can choose to change yourself.

Change that comes from within is actually one of the easiest kinds. Think about it: there’s no one getting in your way (except for maybe yourself). There aren’t any external barriers to break through. You are in total and complete control when you make the decision to change something for yourself.

So what about your nursing career and that topic of nursing burnout that was introduced at the start of the post? How would you like to change the one thing you have control over so that you can reduce stress and enjoy your job more?

[Tweet “Here are 4 simple steps to re-invent your nursing career”]

1. Pause and come present. Many times we ‘say’ we are feeling burnout without really feeling anything at all. We’ve become so infatuated with being ‘busy’ that we can’t even articulate what it is that we do want out of a nursing career. The first step gives you permission to stop ‘doing’ all of the time. Simply take pause and allow yourself to be present. With this presence will come further clarity and confidence.
2. Let go. Once you take pause, you may come to realize that your thoughts, feelings and actions aren’t as pleasant as you’d like them to be. Guess what? That’s OK. It’s actually pretty normal since our culture spins our reality in a very ‘negative’ way. The world wants you to live in fear so that you stay controlled by it. If you realize that there is something you no longer want or need in your nursing career- now’s the time (and the chance) to let it go.
3. Allow for appreciation. When we eliminate and release that which no longer serves us we actually make room for more of the good stuff. Want to know another sure-fire way to fill up with the positives in life? Focus on them. Make time for gratitude. Appreciate and enjoy the pleasures of life. Do things that you find fun. Increase your opportunity for the best nursing career of your life by providing it with the necessary energy it so wants and needs.
4. Your authentic self knows best. After you’ve gotten quiet, cleared out the crap and invited in more of the qualities that will help you up-level your nursing career it’s so much easier to be the very best you. And guess what? When you show up as your true self doing the nursing work that you do on a daily basis will be so much easier. Find what you love and do it every day of your life.

These four tips are the foundational process of my bestselling book, ‘Nursing from Within‘. If you’d like to take this self-reflection deeper, I encourage you to grab your copy today. As an easy, upbeat and conversational read, ‘Nursing from Within’ just may be your one-way ticket out of nurse burnout.

I’d love to hear from you. What tools, techniques or strategies have you used to cope with and eliminate nurse burnout? Leave a comment below and thanks for reading!