Let's take some time and think about what it means to do more than "just survive" nursing school. I believe that your nursing educational experience should be one full of learning, growing, and transformation. I feel that by just "getting through it" you may miss out on many opportunities and not realize the full potential of what nursing school can be.
The nurse you are when you enter the program is 100 times different than the one you are when you leave. Similar to life, I feel that nursing school is a journey where you discover who you are as a nurse through ups and downs and through the many opportunities you are given. So how then, amongst the piles of papers and assignment, late nights and early mornings, and the stress we all feel at times can we fully enjoy our nursing education??
As I mentioned in my previous post, I have some helpful hints and essentials that I think are crucial in doing more than "just surviving". They are in no particular order, and you can take them or leave them...these are just valuable lessons I learned.
Let's begin with the first one...take time to smell the roses.
Do you ever get that feeling that life is going by at an uncontrollable pace and sometimes you wish it could all stop for a moment so you can enjoy a moment or catch your breath? I think "taking time to smell the roses" may be one of the most important ideas to keep in mind as you go through the program, and life in general. Too often I find myself working to achieve the highest mark or trying to be involved with every extracurricular activity I can or working at a job. I seem to want to do everything and be involved with as much as I can. My days are often planned to the minute, starting early and ending late, and my down time consists of the minutes before my head hits the pillow. Even then I find my mind racing about what the next day holds. This past year I packed my schedule so tight it felt like I hardly had room to breathe. Even though I was doing things I loved, because I was run so thin I no longer enjoyed what I was doing and wasn't as effective as I could have been. When I came to this realization I was disappointed that at times I didn't fully enjoy what was going in my life. I was too focused on getting the next thing done, whatever it was. When I was finally able to slow down and make a conscious effort to enjoy life, I found myself being more effective and enjoying what I was doing.
I know it's easier said than done, but taking time to stop and enjoy the exciting things that are going on in your life whether it be personal or academically is crucial. What's the point of doing all sorts of things if you never have time to enjoy them?
Yours Nursingly,
L
Let's begin with the first one...take time to smell the roses.
Do you ever get that feeling that life is going by at an uncontrollable pace and sometimes you wish it could all stop for a moment so you can enjoy a moment or catch your breath? I think "taking time to smell the roses" may be one of the most important ideas to keep in mind as you go through the program, and life in general. Too often I find myself working to achieve the highest mark or trying to be involved with every extracurricular activity I can or working at a job. I seem to want to do everything and be involved with as much as I can. My days are often planned to the minute, starting early and ending late, and my down time consists of the minutes before my head hits the pillow. Even then I find my mind racing about what the next day holds. This past year I packed my schedule so tight it felt like I hardly had room to breathe. Even though I was doing things I loved, because I was run so thin I no longer enjoyed what I was doing and wasn't as effective as I could have been. When I came to this realization I was disappointed that at times I didn't fully enjoy what was going in my life. I was too focused on getting the next thing done, whatever it was. When I was finally able to slow down and make a conscious effort to enjoy life, I found myself being more effective and enjoying what I was doing.
I know it's easier said than done, but taking time to stop and enjoy the exciting things that are going on in your life whether it be personal or academically is crucial. What's the point of doing all sorts of things if you never have time to enjoy them?
Yours Nursingly,
L
No comments:
Post a Comment