Most nurses pursue the profession because of altruism. Studies have found that students’ primary motivations in pursuing nursing are their strong desire to help others and contribute positively to the community. However, when work becomes challenging, responsibilities multiply, and shifts and to-do lists grow longer, nurses might find it hard to find the profession as fulfilling and enjoyable.
Being happy at work is important for all, not just for its positive impact on well-being, but also on productivity. A six-month 2019 study found that workers were 13% more productive when they were happy. Employee happiness, according to research, is directly associated with more creative and collaborative work. This is especially true in healthcare: Job burnout directly correlates to nurses feeling unhappy with their work and work conditions. Ultimately, when nurses are happy at work, it improves patient outcomes.
This article provides three helpful tips on how nurses can stay happy at work to bolster their overall well-being, reduce burnout, and lead to improved patient experiences.
Tips on staying happy at work as a nurse
Make friends (and be a good friend)
Facing the daily demands of nursing can be difficult to bear, especially when alone. Having good friends at work can help mitigate the stresses you face on the nursing floor and provide the psychological safety you need to thrive in the workplace.
Especially for new nurses, having someone to ask when you’re unsure about something without feeling embarrassed or shy can make the high-stakes nature of nursing feel less intimidating. But it’s not just new nurses who can benefit from having a pal at work — even experienced nurses appreciate having someone to debrief with after a challenging patient encounter. Talking (or venting) to a friend can help you relieve stress and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed at work. Not only that, but having a friend to check in on you after a long (and arduous) shift and covering your patients when you need to take a break can make life as a nurse so much easier.
Cultivating workplace friendships can also allow you to be more collaborative and innovative, as ideas and communication tend to flow more freely among friends. This can result in streamlined workflows, continuous improvements, and improved patient outcomes.
Find a specialty that interests you
A huge part of staying happy at work as a nurse is finding a specialty that truly interests you and aligns with your values. When you work in a nursing specialty you love, you’ll be more motivated to learn and advance your career, leading to increased job satisfaction and even financial gains.
To discover what specialty you should explore, reflect on what interests you. Which patient populations are you interested in working with daily? Do you prefer to work with elderly individuals or do you enjoy working with children? Are you interested in a specific field, such as public health, pediatrics, or emergency health?
It’s also good to consider what clinical settings and shifts feel comfortable to you, promote self-confidence, and help you achieve your career goals. Do you prefer working in a hospital or a clinic? Do you want to work in one facility near your place of residence, or do you prefer to work at facilities in different states?
Cultivate a happy life outside of work
A great way to be happy at work is to have a fulfilled and enjoyable life when you’re not at work. Maintaining a balanced personal life that enables you to pursue your interests and passions, while also providing ample time for relaxation and enjoyment, can significantly contribute to the success of your professional life. Having enough time to destress and recuperate will enable you to tackle workplace challenges with the energy and motivation necessary to deliver high-quality patient-centered care.
Adopting effective work-life balance strategies, such as setting boundaries, can help reduce work-related stress and anxiety. Try your best to leave work at work, refraining from checking your emails or other work communications when you’re off your shift.
It’s also crucial to prioritize your health by exercising and eating well, which can lead to improved overall health levels and higher life satisfaction and happiness. Being physically active is a great way to counter depression caused by high levels of stress. You don’t have to go on a marathon or do strength-training exercises multiple times a week to get the most joy out of physical activity. Studies found that even a small change in physical activity positively affects happiness levels, regardless of whether you exercise 150 minutes or more than 300 minutes per week. Simply put, happiness levels are the same for people who do 30-minute exercises five days a week and those who do one-hour exercises five days a week.
The key to finding happiness as a nurse lies in ensuring that both your professional and personal well-being thrive. By building strong relationships at work, discovering a nursing specialty that resonates with your interests, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance, you can create a fulfilling and joyous career in nursing.
