No matter how much you love what you do as a travel nurse, long workdays can exhaust you. To make matters worse, that exhaustion often kicks in before your shift is over. By the time your day off rolls around, you may have no motivation to pursue your hobbies or stay active. If you practice more intentional living, you can create a solid action plan for tackling these long workdays.
Start With Meditation
If your workday requires getting up early, the thought of setting aside time to meditate might seem impossible. With some practice, you can make it happen. Start by setting the alarm for a minute earlier every day for a week. It might not sound like much, but within a week, you should have created almost an extra 15 minutes for meditation. Use this time to ground yourself and mentally prepare for the workday.
People meditate differently. Some people focus on clearing their heads and hone in on their breathing. There are others who allow their thoughts to play out in the morning, so they do not become distracted by them later in the day. Find the approach that works for you.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
If you worry you might not have enough time to make something healthy, consider prepping your meals ahead of time. Buying specific products can make things easier. You can also learn how to incorporate some cooking into your morning routine that will barely tack on time. Here are some tips:
- Buy travel packets of jam, peanut butter, cream cheese, etc.
- Buy yogurt.
- Try instant oatmeal.
- Package fruits from the night before.
- Start the coffee pot as soon as you get up.
- Start toasting the bread a few minutes before you head out.
Add Supplements
Sometimes, during your long workdays, you may not have enough time to eat healthily. Even when you do, your diet could probably use a boost. Supplements are a great way to ensure you cover all your bases and get all the nutrients your body needs to function at its most optimal point throughout the day. Multi-vitamins are often enough for most people, but not everyone.
For example, vegetarians and people with low-meat intake may need additional protein. When choosing supplements of any kind, be sure to do your research. Power Life High Impact Plant Protein reviews are a good starting point. You can also check health blogs, hospital websites, peer reviews, and even Amazon customer reviews.
Stay Active
Newton’s First Law of Motion shares that a body in motion stays in motion when propelled. Similarly, a body at rest will remain at rest until an external force changes this. Newton may not have meant literal human bodies when he made this scientific observation, but the rule still applies.
If you stay active, your body is more likely to treat long workdays as another walk in the park. This is especially true if you spend a lot of your workday on foot. Not everyone likes the idea of going to the gym, so here are some alternatives to consider:
- Walking or hiking
- Running
- Biking
- Rock climbing or bouldering
- Yoga
Make It a Habit
The only way to ensure you get results is to keep your good habits consistent. One way to ensure this is to tackle one thing at a time. Trying to do everything at once can feel overwhelming and only add to your exhaustion.
Pick the tips you think will have the greatest impact on your long workdays, and then add more once you master one. If one doesn’t work, don’t feel discouraged. Move on to the next, and keep pushing. As your intentional living steps grow, consider creating a to-do list to keep track of everything.
By taking intentional steps to tackle your long workdays, you’re in a much better position to anticipate challenges and address them. You also improve your chances of success. You also improve your chances of success and reduce the amount of stress you feel throughout the day.
Do you have any tips or tricks for long workdays? Comment them below.
