How to Find Work-Life Balance as a Nurse in the U.S.

June 02, 2023

While starting your career as a USRN, it is important to us at Avant Healthcare Professionals that you find a proper work-life balance at your facility. If you don’t know where to start, we’re here to help! No matter where you are placed during your contract with Avant, establishing a healthy work-life balance as a registered nurse takes time and effort. Finding a proper balance between your personal and professional life requires you to be intentional with your time, energy, commitments, and thoughts. 

When you start at your facility, Avant Healthcare Professionals want you to know that you can ask for time off and ask yourself if you are doing things outside your work and career that make you happy.

What Does Work-Life Balance Look Like?

Every nurse is different, so it is essential that you find what is most important to you, whether that is taking time for yourself, for your personal hobbies, or time with family or friends, figuring out what will make you feel the most balanced between your work and personal life. Ensuring your needs are met outside of your nursing job will ensure a long and prosperous career as an R.N. Work-life balance will make you feel better in your day-to-day activities, making your work duties more enjoyable when you give yourself some time outside your job responsibilities.

Work-life balance looks different to everyone. For some, it means going hiking, planning dinners with family and friends, having a beach day with your closest friends, or focusing on your physical health. This could be getting a gym membership to add a workout to your daily routine or trying a yoga class and begin meditating. Work-Life Balance is about taking care of yourself and being mindful of how to work during work hours, and focusing on yourself during hours away from work.

Tips for Nurses to Achieve Work-Life Balance

If you do not balance your personal and professional life properly, it can affect your attitude toward your current job position. You will be thankful that you invested time in yourself and your family, especially when away at the hospital. When finding activities to spend time balancing your work and personal life, you will want to find activities that make you productive and improve your happiness. This happiness and positive attitude will then greatly impact your attitude at your facility, resulting in a better overall relationship with your current job. Below are some tips on achieving work-life balance as a USRN.

Manage Your Priorities

While working as a USRN, you must manage your work and personal life priorities. Whether that looks like spending more time with your family, furthering your education, or traveling, you can prioritize items outside of work. By managing your priorities and setting goals, you will establish a proper work-life balance because you will be able to find joy and happiness in both work and your personal life. Starting with small, achievable daily goals will set you up to achieve work-life balance how you want to see it.

Invest in Self-Care

Self-care is vital, especially when working as a USRN. There will be days when you are exhausted and finding it extremely difficult to invest in self-care. Unfortunately, nurses find getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising challenging due to the long hours and extensive work duties. This is why prioritizing these items is exceptionally vital. Nursing staff should manage a proper sleeping schedule to benefit them and their work shifts. They can meal plan to ensure they have nutritious meals during their breaks at work. Enough sleep, nutrition, and staying active are essential to lowering stress and increasing health.

Lean on Your Support System

Your support system is critical to have by your side when trying to achieve work-life balance. There will be times when you are feeling overwhelmed by work. These moments will remind you why it is essential to ask for help, as assistance might be needed. You could be overwhelmed by patients at work or in your personal life. If you are struggling at work, you can contact your nurse manager or coworkers to see if they can help you balance your job duties or stabilize your shifts. As for your personal life, you may need to lean on your spouse, partner, or immediate family members to pitch in and help you with items around the house or to take care of your errands. You should always be open to asking for help.

Remember to Say No

Although you may think you can accomplish everything, work, and life can sometimes be overwhelming. Remember to give yourself some alone time, and remind yourself it is okay to say no. You can’t do it all; no one can! So, if you feel too exhausted or busy to attend an event, know you can say no to any invitation or commitment that will take away your alone time. When achieving work-life balance, you must always do what is best for you!

Have Fun!

The joy of starting your career as a USRN is that you not only get a brand-new life living your American dream, but you can also find new and exciting ways to have fun outside of your career. Whether spending time with your family, finding a new hobby, trying out a new restaurant, or taking a workout class, anything you do outside work should be fun! Prioritizing enjoying your hours outside of work will ultimately result in a proper work-life balance.

The Bottom Line

Your work as a USRN will significantly improve once you establish a proper work-life balance outside your working hours. You have a long journey ahead of you as a USRN; make sure to make the most of it! And as always, Avant Healthcare Professionals is here for you during your transition as a USRN. We are here to help whether you have work, family, wellness, or personal problems when transitioning to the U.S. While achieving your American dream, we aim to ensure you find a proper work-life balance and prioritize yourself while working on your nursing career.

Avant Healthcare Professionals is the premier recruiting and staffing specialist for internationally educated healthcare professionals. When you join the Avant Healthcare Professionals program, you have entire teams of experts dedicated to your success in the USA! Take the first step toward your new life and a new career. Apply today to find out if you qualify to be part of this exclusive program. You could be working in the U.S. in as little as 12 months!