31 Ways to Survive Nurse Burnout
Feeling like you’re running on empty, stretched wayyy too thin, and questioning how much longer you can keep going in your nursing career? Between the non-stop shifts, emotional rollercoasters, and the constant pull to do more with less, it’s no wonder nurse burnout is a thing. And trust me — you’re not alone.
Burnout in nursing isn’t just “being tired.” It’s the soul-deep mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that leaves you wondering how the heck you’re supposed to keep pouring from an empty cup. So many nurses hit this wall at some point, and it’s no reflection on your strength or ability — it’s really a reflection of just how demanding this profession can be.
Nurse burnout is a reality so many of us face, but it doesn’t have to define your story and you don’t have to settle for survival mode. You can fight back, prevent nurse burnout before it starts, and — dare I say it — start thriving again. The trick is knowing how to hit pause, take a breath, and make yourself a priority for once (yes, you deserve it!).
So grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s dive into 31 ways to protect your energy, find your balance, and fall in love with your nursing career all over again. Let’s talk about all the ways to survive the B* word…
Your Path to Surviving Nurse Burnout
Reignite Your Mental Energy
1. Digital Unplug: Set your phone aside for a few hours (or even a full day). Allow yourself to be bored and see what creativity awaits you.
2. Practice Positive Self-Talk: Replace those inner critics with compassionate, encouraging thoughts. It takes practice, but the payoff is worth it.
3. Dive Into a Good Book: Skip the scroll and get lost in an inspiring story. FYI, find the book club section of my resources tab to get some ideas on books to read!
4. Get Creative: Paint, write, garden, dance — whatever brings you joy. Let your creative juices flow and create something new.
5. Learn Something New: Pick up a skill you’ve always wanted to try, like learning a new language, instrument, or craft. Choose something interesting to you and have fun along the way.
Restore Your Physical Well-Being
6. Move Your Body: Move any way you’d like. Just get up and get active! Your movement can be running, lifting, climbing, boxing, dancing, yoga, etc.
7. Treat Yourself to a Massage: Relax and let your body refresh. Getting a massage can help you to renew your energy and refresh your mind.
8. Nourish Your Skin: Pamper yourself by taking a bath. Maybe use an exfoliant. Maybe try a dry brush routine. Or use your favorite lotion to hydrate your skin.
9. Meal Prep for the Week: It’s exponentially easier to grab and go than to make a new meal every day before work. Try prepping a meal you enjoy the second time around and go from there.
10. Stick to a Sleep Routine: Sleep-deprivation is a huge factor in nurse burnout. Those long 10+ hour shifts and night shifts can leave you feeling dazed and confused, so try your best to figure out a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it.
Reconnect With Your Inner Self
11. Slow Down and Listen: Burnout in nursing worsens when you become disconnected from yourself. Witness the way your body feels, reflect on your experiences, make an effort to allow yourself compassion for your experiences, and learn to trust your authentic self.
12. Spend Time in Nature: Nature is a powerful healer and can reduce feelings of loneliness, lower stress, boost energy, promote cognitive function, and inspire creativity!
13. Meditate or Pray: Take time to focus on your breathing, connect with your higher power, and let go of the day’s stress.
14. Read Religious Text: Religious text can promote feelings of connection, encouragement, and peace. But even if you don’t have a religious affiliation, you can still learn some interesting and humbling lessons taught in religious text.
15. Journal: There’s nothing like putting pen to paper. Taking the time to sift through your thoughts and feelings to write a cohesive sentence and story can be highly therapeutic for your nurse burnout.
Take Care of Your Emotional Health
16. Feel ALL the feelings: Remember, it’s okay not to be okay. Find a safe place and allow yourself to feel your feelings, so you can process them and move on.
17. Talk It Out: Whether it’s a mentor, therapist, or trusted friend, sharing your experiences can allow you to put language to your experiences and give power back to you, rather than allowing your experiences to control you.
18. Try Energy Healing: Your body is composed of vibrant energy; sometimes, that energy can become stagnant or blocked. You can stimulate your body’s inherent ability to heal by partaking in an energy-healing session.
19. Practice Gratitude: I don’t just mean writing down three things you’re grateful for and then forgetting about them. Reach down deep and find the essence of what it means to have gratitude. Feel it in your bones and deep in your belly. Allow that essence to change your perspective on your day-to-day life.
20. Watch Your Favorite Feel-Good Movie: A good movie can evoke emotion from its audience, providing a much-needed distraction when you’re feeling lost. Sometimes, all you need is a good laugh (or cry) to reset your mood.
Align Your Work With Your Goals
21. Set Inspiring Career Goals: Make actionable and attainable goals to work toward to achieve the nursing career and life you want to live.
22. Review Your Finances: Develop a financial plan based on your personal goals and review your finances weekly to ensure you’re making decisions that will lead you to your goals.
23. Declutter Your Workspace: A cluttered workspace produces a cluttered mind — the chaos can be overwhelming! Decluttering can help to reduce stress and allow you to focus on the tasks ahead of you. It’s a simple step but can make a big difference to your day-to-day productivity.
24. Take an Interesting CEU Course: If you have to complete continuing education units for your license might as well make it enjoyable! Do your research before diving in because there’s absolutely something interesting out there for you to learn.
25. Leave Your Work at the Door: Constantly worrying about what you did or didn’t do is only going to worsen your nurse burnout (but we’ve all been there). Learn from your experiences but don’t let your experiences drag you down or weigh on your shoulders for the rest of eternity. Breathe and let go.
Nurture Your Community
26. Plan a Potluck: Potlucks bring people together. Plus, I wholly believe Taco Tuesday was meant to be enjoyed in community with others. 😅
27. Volunteer: Choose a nonprofit that is personally meaningful to you. Take the time to connect with the mission and intent behind building a community to help others. Investing in your community can be a rewarding experience that can provide you with a sense of connection and purpose.
28. Play Society Games: Society games can be a great way to connect with other people and have fun in a community setting. From classic board games like Monopoly and Scrabble to card games like Poker and Blackjack to modern multiplayer video games like Fortnite and MarioKart, you can have good old-fashioned fun playing in groups.
29. Unplug During Meal Times: Unplug is already on this list, but THIS is an intentional ‘unplug’ and a choice to share a meal in community with others without regard to what’s going on in the digital world.
30. Reconnect With Loved Ones: It’s not always so simple, and sometimes life gets the best of us. Reach out to a friend or loved one you haven’t spoken to in a while and spend some quality time reconnecting.
31. Set Healthy Boundaries: This is really about you choosing to spend time with those that inspire, motivate, and encourage you, and saying ‘no’ when necessary.
No More of That Dreaded B* Word, Okay?
Burnout in nursing is real, and it’s relentless. It’s the natural result of a profession that often asks you to prioritize others over your own well-being. But in all honesty, if you want to prevent nurse burnout and rediscover the joy in what you do, you must start with caring for yourself — guilt-free and unapologetically.
I know self-care can feel like such a cliché, but carving out space for what you need — whether that’s asking for help, setting realistic boundaries, finding inspiration in your creativity, or letting go of the guilt that’s holding you back — is all necessary for you to survive and prevent nurse burnout.
Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So, nurture yourself with intention, trust your intuition, and embrace the things that bring you joy and fulfillment. When you prioritize your well-being, you’re not just surviving — you’re thriving. Because at the end of the day, preventing nurse burnout allows you to reclaim the balance, purpose, and energy that drew you to this incredible profession in the first place.
And if you’ve decided it’s time to pivot your nursing career to something that feels more sustainable and aligned with your needs, check out my blog post about remote nursing careers. Because sometimes the best way to overcome burnout is by embracing a new path that still lets you use your skills and passion — just in a way that works better for you.
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