This year has certainly been one to test the positivity of a lot of people, but none so more than nurses. This year’s difficulties have seen those already suffering with mental health issues perhaps significantly worsened, and those who have never suffered previously now having their mental health and resilience tested with an overhaul in routine and health concerns.
While it may seem difficult to uphold, having positive thinking and taking care of your well-being in 2020 is more important than ever due to the demands of this year.
Here are seven ways to ensure that can happen.
- Live in The Present
This can be extremely hard to do with the current worries regarding the future and what’s around the corner when it comes to the present pandemic, especially when you might witness it first hand. However, as worrying about the future never helps, concentrating on the present and being mindful every day is now more important than ever.
For the good of your own mental health and well-being, taking it one day (and one step) at a time is all you can do in the current circumstances. Try to concentrate on those things which make you happy at home while unable to freely travel about and concentrating fully on them.
- Remind Yourself What You Have To Be Grateful For
This is another one that can be extremely tricky, especially if you are surrounded by the pandemic at work. Nevertheless, the state of the world may throw into sharp relief all the things you do have to be grateful for. Whether it’s a warm and safe home, a loving family, your own good health, or maintaining your income, there is a lot that you can look at differently when it’s all thrown into perspective.
To help keep you grounded, you could try keeping a gratitude journal that you can fill in every day, or whenever you feel as though it will help.
- Take Up a New Hobby or Learn a New Skill
It’s the perfect time to learn something new on your days off. Maybe there’s a pastime you’ve always wanted to try or one you already started but have constantly been putting off due to lack of time.
This could be a new hobby you could pursue alone in order to concentrate on your own well-being, or if you’re in a household with a family, this could be a hobby which you could all try together.
This will help keep your mind focused and positive, as well as being able to reap the rewards when you create or do something entirely new. It will even provide you with a great distraction from work.
- Look for Bigger Ways to Make a Difference
Maybe this year has resulted in you thinking more about the bigger picture. Perhaps it’s not enough for you to simply take care of your own well-being and career, but instead, you’d like to make a greater difference and help those who are also struggling out there. As a nurse, you likely already do so much, which has been recognized. 2020 is the year of the nurse because of the endless fight they are putting up against COVID-19 and their constant battle in protecting patients who need them.
However, maybe seeing this has spurred you to do even more. You have options to volunteer or even take your career to the next level and become a nursing leader in helping younger, less experienced nurses navigate through treacherous waters.
- Ensure That You Stay Active
This may force you to think creatively if you usually hit the gym or work out with others, but it doesn’t have to be stressful or impossible. You can try making a space at home designated for home workouts, or you can easily take a walk outside around your block or to a nearby place of natural beauty.
If you can switch home workouts for outside walks so that you can at least have a change of scenery and fresh air to boost your well-being even further or combine home workouts with walks outside so that you can escape the confines of the house on your days off. When taking a walk outside, be sure that it’s in a quiet and peaceful place so that you can protect yourself (and others) by maintaining distance and even wearing a mask.
Walks in nature can truly boost your positive thinking, as well as being valuable sources of exercise.
- Take a Break From Technology
For a lot of people, it may feel like technology is the only thing to use to pass the time during the current situation. However, spending too many hours using technology may not improve your positive mental health.
There is an abundant amount of information online at the moment, which can easily become overwhelming, especially as this is updated every day. When you feel like you need to, take a step back from the latest news and concentrate on your own well-being instead. Take a break from social media if you feel you have been spending too many hours scrolling.
Sitting and relaxing in other ways, such as reading a book or trying meditation, can be a welcome relief for your mind and body if you’ve been glued to a screen far too much on your days off. It can mean when you head back the hospital, you are ready for the day ahead.
That being said, make sure that you’re using technology in the right way to stay connected to loved ones and maintain a method of communication to boost your mood.
- Don’t Neglect Basic Health Habits
Make sure that you’re getting enough rest and sleep to always feel your best. Ensure that you’re eating healthy meals at home, and you could take any extra time you have to research healthy recipes or have fun cooking something new or baking. Make sure that you’re staying hydrated and paying attention to any signs that your basic routine has been thrown off so that you can take the right steps to rectify it.
Your positive mental health and well-being is important, so never neglect it.