It’s the time of year when giving is at the forefront of our minds.
As a nurse you signed up to give everyday, to take care of other people. Regardless of what nursing role you play your job requires you to put the health and goals of your patients first. You do this day in and day out on the job. Sacrificing hours of your day to improve other peoples lives. Many nurses do it because it’s in their blood and in their souls to help people.
This year nursing and health care in general has been put at the forefront of many peoples minds. People have called us heroes, I don’t know about you, but I feel like I am going and doing the job I did every day before this pandemic. I never needed or wanted recognition for the job I chose to do.
But I will say it seems that many times nurses do not put themselves first often.
So I’m going to say something that may be unpopular.
Nurses and other healthcare workers should take time during this giving season, to give back to themselves. Self-care is imperative to do our jobs well. We must take care of ourselves before we can fully take care of someone else. This includes our physical health, mental health, spiritual health, and financially.
You need to put yourself first to recharge and reassess your personal goals before the new year.
Are you a nurse who has gone into debt to get this degree to take care of other people?
I know I was.
Maybe set aside some time to evaluate your goals in life, look at your income versus how much you are spending and make sure that you are living within your means and aligning your spending with your goals.
Do you want to keep paying for your education or bills you out on a credit card from who knows how long ago, or do you want freedom to spend you money on the things that matter most to you?