How to Keep a Work-School-Life Balance As a Nurse

Work-life balance has become a buzzword in today’s workplace as employees across different industries seek more flexibility in their day-to-day work. This flexibility aspect is even more crucial for those looking to advance their careers in the healthcare sector. 

Below, we have rounded up three tips to help you balance work, school, and life responsibilities as a nursing professional. These tips are also applicable to any healthcare practitioner looking to upgrade their skills while keeping up with the everyday work and family duties. Here’s how you can make this happen.

1.      Align Your Priorities 

A career in nursing can be quite fulfilling, and there are several reasons you would want to advance your skills and experience. Upskilling is a worthwhile move, but it comes with huge demands that you must be ready to satisfy. This is especially true if your day-to-day work is demanding. 

A rule of thumb is to have a consistent routine. Rethink your priorities and have a strategy for managing your energy levels and all the stress and chaos. Besides work and class time, schedule some time for family and self-care. How you will manage all of these determine how prepared you are to succeed in your professional and personal life.

2.      Choose a Favorable Bridge Program 

With several nursing bridge programs in the market, you want to choose the best course based on your unique needs and preferences. Whether you want a degree or master’s pathway to take your career to the next level, choose a program that’s designed for working nurses. 

The institution you pick should offer online programs customizable to compliment your work schedule. Some of the best online RN to MSN-FNP programs, for instance, offer dedicated support from student success coaches and a week off in between classes, allowing students to take some days off. 

By avoiding commute time and engineering a flexible learning schedule, juggling between work, class, and family responsibilities becomes more manageable. 

3.      Talk to Your Supervisor 

Like any other career, the nursing profession has pros and cons. You want to maximize the benefits while minimizing the downsides. The latter often revolves around work pressure and extended working hours. If you take an online bridge course, notify your supervisor and ask for a flexible working schedule. That way, you’ll maximize the limited time you have to produce the most value. 

The more you get buy-in from your managers, the more bearable and organized your work life will become. For example, if working a night shift on weekdays will hurt your day-time class session, negotiate for a better deal that will put you and your colleagues in a win-win situation. 

Endnote

Nursing is a noble profession that grants the opportunity to serve others while living your purpose. If advancing your skills is part of the package, there are several learning opportunities that allow you to work while earning that bachelor’s degree or master’s degree of choice. You just have to be ready to embrace the increased workload and budget your limited time effectively.

Regardless of how challenging this may seem, you can always seek help. First, you want to realign your priorities, choose the most suitable learning program, and negotiate for a flexible working schedule at work.

Medical Disclaimer: All the content available on the website is just for informational purposes. It’s not a substitute for any Professional advice. Don’t take it personally. As a medical student, I’m just trying to use my information through my content, and please keep in mind it’s not written by a professional doctor. Use the data just for educational purposes.