As a new graduate nurse, I had tremendous mentors that directed my path to success. Oftentimes, they imparted priceless trinkets of nursing knowledge that shaped me into becoming a better nurse, and I am delighted to pass along their insight. Without question, Pearl Uhomba, BSN, RN and Yolanda Ferguson, BSN, RN were beacons of light throughout my first year. These extraordinary leaders in the nursing profession taught this fledgling to arrive to work at least 30 minutes prior to clocking in. I understand that this sounds very intense, but there’s a method behind the madness:
You can get a feel of the atmosphere.
By arriving early, you can visualize whether the shift is chaotic or smooth. As a result, you can appropriately adjust and prepare for your shift. Sometimes, you have to acclimate your mind and body to the madness. As a preparation routine, I would sit in the break room and listen to my favorite playlist. As one that has experienced the madness of the trenches and lived to tell the tale, I encourage you to develop a stress-busting plan that gets you through the difficult shifts.
Your shift assignment is posted.
You have scored a huge advantage. Now, you can delve into your patients’ charts with a fine-tooth comb. Also, you can prepare a well-developed strategy and layout of your patients’ goals and plan of care. Most importantly, during the shift change, you have successfully developed per se a colorless image of each patient that you will care for. Then, the off-going nurse will bring your image into Technicolor!
You have 1st round dibs on the BEST C.O.W., which is lovingly known as the Computer On Wheels.
For those that have endured the sometimes arduous task of selecting this essential and sometimes temperamental teammate, you really want a C.O.W that is agile and can turn on a dime without tipping over. Now, you won’t have the worst teammate that is infamous for shutting down during the most important medication administration.
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Do you have one important item on your to-do list that never seems to get finished? What about that looming deadline that overwhelms you so much you don’t even know where to start?
Putting things off, especially tasks that we aren’t fond of or that aren’t easy, is something we all do. Even though you think just putting off an irritating task for a while longer lessens your stress, you’re wrong. Procrastination, in all its different forms, actually increases your stress. And depending on what you’re delaying doing, it can really cause problems.
What’s so bad about procrastination? Sometimes, nothing. Sorting that pile of magazines might not be top of your list, but it also isn’t going to really impact anyone. But have you been putting off paying bills or going after your degree? Paying bills late can give you bad credit. And not getting your degree can have a big impact on your career path.
We procrastinate to avoid things we find unpleasant. Sorting out the overcrowded garage or making a new financial plan is stressful, time consuming, tough work. It seems easier to put off doing the tough stuff. But that “stuff” isn’t going to just disappear. Once those things are done, you will feel less burdened, lighter, and much happier that the task is finally done.
Here are five ways to blast through your procrastination habit.
1. Write It Down
Having a visual to-do list can really help anyone who procrastinates. Break your list into manageable blocks so you aren’t facing 15 tasks all at once. Organize the list into what needs to be done first and give yourself deadlines.
2. Make Small Goals
Really big jobs are most often put off because they seem unmanageable. But if you break your huge task into smaller goals, it’s easier to do. If you want your garage organized by the end of the month, give yourself weekly goals. Get the kids’ toys and all your sports gear organized this week. Start in on all the yard stuff next week. By the end of the month, you’ll have reached your goal.
3. Reward Yourself
Everyone likes a little recognition for all their efforts, and hard tasks might be easier to do if you give yourself some incentive. If you need to start a big presentation for work, tell yourself you can do something you like after two hours of working on the project. Want to catch up on “Orange Is the New Black?” Great! You can do it after you’ve worked on your task at hand for an hour. When it’s all done, plan to visit your favorite shop, take time to read your favorite magazine, get your nails done, or take a hike in a new place.
4. Don’t Kid Yourself
If you’re putting something off, it’s obviously something you don’t want to do. But sometimes you have to do unpleasant things. You might have to grit your teeth a little, but simply accepting that you’re doing something you really don’t like might make it easier.
5. Take the First Step
Figuring out retirement planning? Just take a few minutes to read an article or two. If you have a big speech to give, jot down a few ideas for an outline. And that garage? Just clean up by the door that leads into the house the next time you take out the trash. Taking the first step to get something done sometimes offers just enough incentive.
When your task is all done, enjoy the feeling because it will be a relief to cross that off your list. Then take note of what worked to get your started on beating procrastination so you can use those tools the next time an overwhelming task rolls around.
Do you ever wish nursing school could be a little easier? Juggling classes, labs, clinicals, exams, and a life outside of school doesn’t exactly make your typical day serene.
No, nursing school isn’t a breeze, and nursing school stress is a problem. Luckily, there are some things you can do that will make it a little easier on you.
1. Time Management
No matter how well planned you think your schedule is, take another look at how you plan your days and weeks. Time management skills are critical in the life of any student and will carry over into your life as a working nurse after graduation. Are you using the time you have in the best way you can?
2. Ask Your Advisor
Schools can’t say it enough – talk to your advisor. Whether you are planning to change classes, the direction of your career, or just want to find out how to cope with a particularly difficult class or nursing school stress, your advisor is there to help you. Just not feeling the connection? Look into changing your advisor – it shouldn’t be a problem.
3. Visit Career Services
Looking for a part-time job or wondering how to shape your job search? Do you look at your resume and wonder if it’s the best it can be? Your school’s academic advising office can help you with all of that (and even study skills, too!). Visit them and save yourself loads of time.
4. Find a Tutor
Experts say it over and over – the smartest students are the ones who actively seek out help. If your chemistry class has tripped you up, talk to your professor and find a tutor to help you before you fall behind. Tutors will help you understand the material and might even offer some insight into the particular class you’re taking.
5. Find a Mentor
Mentors are a huge part of a nursing student’s life. A mentor can help guide you on the right path, help you figure out just what you want from your career, introduce you to others in the field, and possibly even help you get a job (or at least guide you toward promising opportunities). Sometimes, you are lucky enough to have a mentor come into your life through a class, but other times you need to look for one. Find them through your school’s mentoring program, through a job, in the lab, or even through a professional organization.
6. Find Help for Stress
Sometimes, stress can build up and make your life pretty miserable. It can be a particularly tough class or even a health crisis in your family that derails you for a while. If you find the pressure is impacting your mood or even your ability to get things done in a timely manner, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Talking to a counselor or a close trusted friend or family member can do wonders for your ability to cope. Let’s face it, nursing is high-pressure, so learning how to take care of your mind and body now is only going to help you in the future.
Nursing school can be tough, but you know you’re on your way to one of the most rewarding careers out there. Take the time to keep yourself on the right track and use all your available resources to make it easier on you.
No, not that ab crunch you did at the gym – we’re talking the holiday crunch. The “I have to study, shop, socialize, and by the way get some sleep, too,” holiday squeeze. As a nursing student, you’re used to juggling a lot at once. But if you’re wondering how to make sure your study time doesn’t suffer during the holiday rush, use the next few weeks to study smarter, not harder.
How? Studying smarter, not harder means using every single second of your time to get the most results, and that doesn’t mean logging more hours.
1. Pace Yourself
When you have too much to do and a limited amount of time, make a plan. You should think about a couple of logistics like prioritizing your tasks and deciding how much time you need to complete them (and then add an hour or two!). But you also need to figure out when you should study to be at your best (not past midnight if you’re an early bird) and where you can go to have the quiet you need. Planning it all means you’re less likely to get tripped up by something unexpected.
2. Make the Time
The holiday season might seem magical, but the one thing you can use – extra hours in a day – just won’t happen. Take the hours you do have and make the most of them. Finding time to study when finals are bearing down and holiday commitments are building isn’t easy, but it can be done. Use every extra minute in your day – no matter what your day looks like. Sitting at the laundomat? Rough out a paper, take notes on a lab while it’s fresh, catch up on the ever-present reading you need to do for the week. Same goes for running errands – stash flash cards in your bag and go through them if you’re waiting in a long line.
3. Write It, Don’t Just Read It
Study experts say the very act of writing down information (like taking notes or making flashcards) is more effective than just reading. While you’re reading, take notes on the important points in a notebook. Write flashcards for important terms or practices. If you’re struggling with specific terms or ideas, write them down 30 times just like a grade school spelling test. Writing helps you remember more information, and then you have some study notes that can be easily carried and pulled out when you have a couple of free minutes.
4. Practice Your Speech
Hate proofreading your own papers? If you can swap papers with a friend for a once over, do it. It’s a great way to catch errors and make your writing even stronger. But in a pinch, reading your paper out loud is a tool journalists use all the time. Find a quiet place (the car is a great spot) and read out loud at a slow and steady pace. You’ll be amazed at the spelling and grammatical errors you missed by reading alone.
5. Take Breaks
Spending too much time cramming for an exam can actually make things worse. You just can’t do a 10-hour marathon without taking a couple of breaks, but you can’t get distracted either. Plan when you will stop your work so you can get up, stretch, walk around a little, and chat with a friend. When your planned time is up, stop and get back to studying. You’ll be refreshed without losing your focus.
Hopefully your holidays will give you plenty of time for both work and fun. On the days when things seem really hectic, take a deep breath, use every minute wisely, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish! Good luck!
Getting ready in the morning is a frantic, stressful time for many people. Getting yourself ready can be difficult enough, but if you have children, mornings are often a race against the clock.
You want to arrive at work calm and ready to take on your day. Nursing can be a stressful and emotional job, so the less you stress before your shift, the better nurse you’ll be when you get to work. Here are a few tips to help your mornings, or whenever you’re getting ready to head to work, run smoothly. You may know these tips already, but actually implementing them is what will give your morning routine a makeover. Give yourself a challenge to do all of them for one week and see how you feel.
Who, What, Wear
Before you turn in for the night, lay out full outfits for yourself and your kids. Have everything ready right down to everyone’s shoes and socks. If you spend time in the morning searching for missing shoes, you’re adding to your stress, not to mention wasting time. It’s a good time to see if your work uniform is clean or if you need to throw it in the washer. It’s better to find that out the night before than in the morning when you’re trying to get ready.
Get Small Tasks Done Before Bed
There are a lot of small tasks that you probably do in the morning that you could do before you go to bed. Do you make coffee every morning? Try getting your coffee maker prepped with water, a new filter and ground coffee before bed so that all you have to do in the morning is turn it on. Do you pack a gym bag and/or lunches for the kids? Get everything ready so that all you have to do is grab and go.
Skip Technology
If you are the type to get engrossed in the morning news or checking Facebook, avoid technology in the morning. It may be hard to pull yourself away and make it out the door on time. Get your news fix by listening to it on the car radio or your phone on your way to work and do a quick Facebook check on your break.
What other ways can you save time and be more productive in the morning? Take a few minutes to think about your morning routine and how you can make small adjustments. Getting into the habit of doing as much preparation for the next day the night before as possible and avoiding distractions in the morning, you’ll get your day started right. And you will feel the positive effects all day long.
Denene Brox is a Kansas City-based freelance writer.
Image Credit: Stuart Miles / freedigitalimages.net
