The Number 6 Reason Nurses Don’t Care for Themselves

​​Some time ago I asked nurses on TikTok about their biggest barriers to self-care. I got hundreds of replies and broke them down to the top reasons nurses don’t take care of themselves. One of the barriers nurses identified was knowledge.

Here are some of their responses:

• “Not knowing where to start.”
• “For so long I thought sleeping in on my days off, lying in bed all day was self-care.”
• “I don’t think I know what it even means.”

As you can see their answers ranged from not knowing where to start, to a limited view of self-care, to not knowing what self-care is. While I certainly understand these reasons, I don’t think that they need to stop us from taking care of ourselves. So, here are some reasons knowledge, or a lack of it, shouldn’t keep you from taking care of yourself

Knowledge is everywhere.

I remember a few years ago my son asked me where I learned to do so many of the things I can do. I’m a pretty handy guy. I do most of the repairs around our house or to our cars. I do woodworking, build props, and many other things. I do some painting, writing, singing, and playing saxophone.

I explained to him that some of these things I’d just picked up over the 4 plus decades I had been alive at that time. However, I went on to tell him that knowledge is everywhere. There is almost nothing you can’t learn on YouTube. Now, for certain, there are probably 2-3 videos filled with bad advice for every one with good advice, but the knowledge is still out there.

Now, I know it takes time to search for the knowledge you need. One of the other barriers nurses identified in my TikTok poll was time. So, I get it, you don’t really have the time to search through all of the available knowledge to find what you need. I’ll talk more about that in a minute.

Others have been in your shoes

While your struggles are very personal, they are rarely completely unique. Whether you are struggling with physical health, mental health, or any of the other pillars of a healthy, happy life, someone out there has struggled with it as well. Even better there are people who have struggled with it AND BEAT IT! In my experience, most people who have worked through struggles are more than happy to share what they learned along the way… you just have to ask.

There are experts in every area of the healthy, happy life

This one can be kinda like finding good information on YouTube or the internet. Seems everyone is a “life coach” these days. I have huge respect for life coaches and for the service they provide, but everyone can’t be a life coach.

Still, there are real experts in the areas of pillars of a healthy, happy life. Sometimes you will have to pay them. A few years ago I determined that I needed to see a counselor. It cost me some money, but it changed my life.

I’m here to help

Ok, shameless plug, but this is my blog, so I can do that. LOL

Seriously though, one of my goals with Restoring Nurses is to learn as much as I can as I travel on my own journey to build a healthy, happy life and then to share all that I’ve learned with you so that you can build your healthy, happy life as well.

Here are some ways that I’m sharing that knowledge:

• Podcast: In my podcast, I share things that I have learned along the way. I also seek out experts in the 6 pillars and interview them to see what I can learn from them and share it in real-time.
• Blog: On the very blog you are reading right now I will share many of the lessons I learn along the way.
• Courses: I’m working to build and produce courses on a regular basis that will give you the tools you need to build your own healthy, happy life.
• Restoring Nurses Community: Hmm, what is this “Restoring Nurses Community” you speak of? I’m working hard to launch an online community for Restoring Nurses. It’s a fact that we are able to accomplish so much more when we work in the community. I’m not talking about a dysfunctional group project like they used to make us do in school where one or two people end up doing most of the work and the losers who did almost nothing end up getting the same credit. Here’s what this community will include:
  • Community Forum: Here like-minded people all with the same goal of building healthy, happy lives, share their experiences, and provide help and encouragement.
  • Monthly courses: These courses are aimed at giving you the tools you need. I’m working to build the first couple of courses now. From there new courses will be determined by the needs of our members. You’ll tell me what you need and I do the research, connect with the experts, and then deliver it in a way that is easy to understand and put into action.
  • Bi-weekly coaching calls: Every other week I will host a live coaching call within the membership. This is your chance to ask me, in real-time whatever questions you have regarding your healthy, happy life journey.
  • And more: My goal with this community is that it would be your go-to place for all you need in your journey to build a healthy, happy life for you and your family.

So, what now?

If you’re ready to start your healthy, happy life journey here are some steps you can take

1. Download the Healthy, Happy Life Assessment
2. Join our FREE private Facebook group

If you are interested in joining the Restoring Nurses Community when it launches, email me at matt@restoringnurses.com and put COMMUNITY in the subject line.