The working individual’s career is filled with ups and downs. Work stress is one of the hardest kinds of stresses to manage as an adult and can take a major toll on physical and mental health. This is especially the case for medical professionals who work tirelessly and often never find the work-life balance they desperately need. Said work-life balance is the key to living a stress-free life.
This article will discuss some of the best ways to manage professional life while enrolled in an online degree. Online degrees have become extremely common and are a lifesaver for millions of working doctors and nurses around the world. Let’s see how these degrees are helping medical practitioners regain control and strike the balance they have been striving towards for years.
Here are four tips for finding a balance when doing an online degree.
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Opt for a Nightshift
It may sound odd at first, but opting for a night shift might help you out in the long run. There is usually less work at night and nurses have more time to themselves. Sure, the emergency room is always active but considerably less at night. You can use this downtime to study and read up on whatever coursework you have coming up during the week.
Online nursing degrees are a great solution; however, they require more self-study and research than the average degree. These accredited online MSN programs require students to take their work into their own hands and study whenever they get the chance. As they are online and mostly submissions-based, students need to be more hands-on than with traditional degrees, which means a whole lot of reading!
The night shift is for people who opt to put their social life on the back burner and put themselves first. Getting home from work, relaxing, and then going to sleep can provide the much-needed balance for many people. If you want to meet people and go out often, the night shift might not be the thing for you.
Create Schedules
One of the most important ways to find a balance is to create a schedule and follow it religiously. A schedule has all of your daily tasks in one place. It helps you plan the day and navigate through everyday activities.
It would be best to jot down your tasks of the day and go through them on a priority basis. From assignments piling up to getting things done at work, you will have a fair idea of where your busy and free time lie.
Finding solutions to stress is considerably easier when you have a schedule to go by. Make sure you pace yourself accordingly and tackle different tasks in digestible doses.
Use Technology as Much as You Can
Technology can be a major aid if you know how to use it properly. There are ways to harness the power of tech and use it to your advantage in a nursing career. Making notes on your phone is a great way to ensure that you don’t forget things and keep yourself on top of daily events. Moreover, with an online degree running parallel to your work, this is your chance to record a lecture and play them back when you have the time to consume them.
Moreover, there are tons of apps out there that can help you create schedules and deal with coursework in the most efficient way possible. With that said, using technology is somewhat of a double-edged sword. Many people find themselves wandering between work-related and social media apps. Therefore, setting boundaries is extremely important.
Draw on Your Social Support
It is often believed that relying on your peers strengthens your relationships. Asking for help when you find yourself in a tough place can improve your relationships as others think you see them as valuable and essential members of your life.
Having said that, it’s important to rely on these people whenever you feel overwhelmed. If you have other nurses working with you, take their advice whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation. Moreover, since most of you are enrolled in the same program, consider asking them for help if you don’t understand academic concepts.
Not only does this lighten the load on your shoulders, but it gives you the much-needed social support that you might crave when searching for a work-life balance.
Conclusion
There we have some of the best tips that you can use to manage your work-life to be strong be healthy. The balance that you are looking for won’t come to your overnight. You have to work towards it, and things will start falling in place as time progresses.
We have gone over everything from opting for a night shift to using your social support to help you overcome hurdles. When combined, these factors could be game-changers in your life and help you traverse your nursing career and education in the best way possible.
Nurses have it tough so let’s take a minute to appreciate the men and women that make it all possible. You will always be in our thoughts, and we will always be grateful for your service.