11. Limit stress.
Working the night shift can have an adverse psychological impact on nurses, so it’s important to actively focus on your mental health. Consider adopting self-care practices—such as meditating or journaling—that will allow you time to self-reflect, reconnect with yourself, and better understand how you’re feeling. Proactively working to think more positively and engaging in activities that make you laugh can help in stress relief.
12. Get in the right mindset.
Upon waking (even if that’s in the evening), it’s good to have a nourishing routine that gets you into a positive frame of mind. That can include meditation, writing in a dream journal, working out, yoga, or whatever helps you feel centered and ready to take on your shift.
At first, adjusting to night shift work can be challenging. Finding a mentor, co-worker, or friend who can offer advice or will simply listen to your concerns can be invaluable. It might also help you to develop your own philosophy of nursing, so you can fall back on this in tough times. If you need advice on managing any persistent psychological or physical symptoms, it’s important to seek out professional help.
Now that you’re set up for success, you can meet challenging situations with grace and enjoy the human connections you make while working on the night shift.