The nursing profession can be incredibly fulfilling, but it does not change the fact that being a nurse is associated with a great deal of stress. For this reason, every nurse needs to find tools and techniques for building emotional resilience. They will help him or her overcome any difficulties that will inevitably manifest themselves over the course of their career. Personally, I have singled out three motivational and three time management success strategies that I intend to incorporate in my academic and professional life.
Firstly, I see a lot of sense in the power of goal-setting. I believe that having tangible goals structures a person’s life and helps him or her to overlook the expedient and focus on a bigger picture (Alligood, 2017). Goal-setting can be done through journaling, which I consider taking up in the nearest future. Secondly, a lot of motivation comes from a person’s inner circle, so it is critical to surround oneself with people who wish you the best. I plan to continue investing into my personal relationships as well as network to meet like-minded, highly motivated professionals. Last but not least, I would like to cultivate positive thinking through self-reflection and self-help literature and online lectures.
Time management is a tool that can help a nurse escape the chaos of their life and put them into the driver’s seat. One of the ways to manage time better is through setting priorities by outlining daily, weekly, and monthly tasks (Huber, 2017). To do this, journaling and mobile applications can be of great help. Improving my time management would require understanding my own self better. So far, experience has shown me that there is no one-size-fits-all success recipe because every person is unique. For this reason, I would like to reflect on my productivity cycles and plan my day around the most productive hours. Another technique that I have learned is starting my day with a clear focus. A set of morning routines can put a person in the right mood for the rest of the day. In contrast, a rushed morning leaves one with a sense of frustration and discouragement. It seems that I would greatly benefit from making plans the day before and preparing to start the next day in a peaceful manner. Having breakfast ready, my bag packed, and the outfit picked would spare me a great deal of stress.
Recently, I have changed my perspective on goal-setting. Previously, I saw goals as nebulous, intangible dreams that give a person a warm, fuzzy feeling. However, learning the SMART strategy taught me a planful, conscientious approach to setting goals. The acronym SMART stands for “specific,” “measurable,” “attainable,” “relevant,” and “time-bound.” These are the properties that any goal needs to have to be even remotely worthwhile. The SMART strategy applies to both short-term and long-term goals. For example, by the end of this semester, I want to become familiar with quantitative methods in nursing research. As seen in this statement, this goal is time-bound and relevant to my field of study. It is specific, and I am able to measure the outcome by the degree of my understanding of the crucial concepts in quantitative research. One of my long-term goals is entering the workforce during the final year of my studies. Again, it is directly related to what I am occupied with at present. I believe this goal to be attainable due to my perseverance in my academic life and the quality of education that will provide me with sufficient knowledge.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2017). Nursing theorists and their work-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Huber, D. (2017). Leadership and nursing care management-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.