If you’re struggling with mental health, you’re not alone. We are in the middle of a mental health crisis. It can be hard to deal with the struggles associated with mental health when you’re at a job that contributes to them. I know, I was there.
I used to be at a job I hated. The type of job that turns your stomach on the drive in. And you can’t fall asleep the night before because you know waking up means you’ll have to go to work. You may feel underutilized or not respected. Or underpaid and overworked. Whatever it is, I see you and I hear you. I’ve even been you.
That’s why I made the leap to writing. If you’re ready, I can help.
Burnout
Burnout is an occupational mental health disorder. It’s a complication of chronic stress, and it can happen to anyone. But nurses are particularly susceptible. In fact, 62% of all nurses will experience burnout in their lifetime.
We all talk about burnout like it’s not a big deal, but it is. It’s an incredibly exhausting mental health condition. And it’s completely avoidable.
Do you know what has lower rates of burnout? Nurse writing. Instead of being passed up on that promotion or forced to work long hours, you can spend your time working remotely and surrounded by your family. You can make the decisions you need to elevate your career instead of being a pawn in a hospital’s chess game.
Creating your Own Hours
As a remote worker, you can create your own work environment and your own schedule. You can write under your bed covers in the winter. Or in your bathing suit by your pool in the summer. Take meetings from your backyard! You’re in charge of where you work- as long as you get your writing done.
You can have the freedom to set your own hours. Sick of those 12 hour shifts? You don’t need to work on them ever again. Wave goodbye to those 30 minute breaks in your car after hours and hours under fluorescent lights.
You can choose to work nights, mornings, or half days. If you need a mental health moment, you can take one. You can work outside in the sun to offset the fluorescent lights you’re used to. You can take walks when you need to. You’re in charge of your mental health and managing it with your own workflow.
More time with Loved Ones
At the bedside, you may have missed important milestones. We’ve all been
there. Having to pick your top holidays and just dealing with the fact that you’ll miss the annual 4th of July barbecue. Because if it’s 4th of July or Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is the obvious choice.
Not to mention having to miss dance recitals and soccer games. Working on the weekends because that’s an expectation. Not being able to tuck your kids into bed at night because you’re getting hope from a shift or you’re leaving for one.
It all becomes a little isolating. Entrepreneurship is your way to reconnect with the people in your life. You don’t have to miss those important moments again. And you certainly won’t have to pick your top 3 holidays to celebrate.
Own Rate
As a business owner, you can set your own rates. What’s better for your mental health than giving yourself a raise? I can speak from experience: It’s a great pick-me-up.
You can start to feel hopeless when you’re staring at the rungs of a payscale. You know what to expect one year after the next. It doesn’t matter how hard you’re working or how many patients love you. You’re not going to climb that financial ladder any faster. It can start to break your spirit.
But as a writer you can either raise your rates or find bigger paying clients whenever you want. Life isn’t perfect. But it does get a lot better when you have some more financial flexibility.
Your People
At the bedside, you can’t pick your patients. And you can’t pick your coworkers. And sometimes that’s really hard.
Patients can be abusive. They can throw things, kick you, and say incredibly targeted, hurtful things. Just because they’re ill doesn’t mean they get to abuse you. You deserve a safe work environment.
You may be surrounded by jaded nurses who are just sick of the bedside. They’re burned out themselves. Or they’re resentful and stop trying. This starts to weigh heavily on you, too. As a nurse writer, you pick the people surrounding you. If you don’t like a client, you can say “no thank you”. And you never have to give a reason why. It can be as simple as not getting their vibe.
You may have less coworkers, but that’s okay. Once you build a network of people to support you, you won’t feel lonely. You can log on to group coffee chats, or chat in the messages to people all over the world. People that are happy to see you. People that love their jobs.
Vacations
As a remote business owner, you can take vacations whenever you want.
Bring that laptop to Italy. No one’s stopping you. Or take a week off to sit by a lake. Just build in a buffer for your clients so you’re paid for your time off. This isn’t like nursing where you have to count all your days and ration your time off.
Low-trauma
As a healthcare worker, most of us have seen things we didn’t want to see. We’ve known beautiful souls that passed way before their time. And it’s heartbreaking. Even if we don’t internalize it, we still saw it at that moment.
Writing is a low-trauma work environment. You won’t be dealing with codes or deaths. Or bodily fluids and chronic, deadly diseases.
Instead, you’ll be writing and researching. Trying to figure out ways to help these people. All from your couch hundreds of miles away.
Summary
Healthcare can be a hard field to be in. The hours are long, lonely and the work is hard. It’s filled with traumatic situations that can stay with you and cause deeply depressing feelings. It’s not for the faint of heart.
As a writer, you’re still helping your nurses and patients. You’re just protecting yourself at the same time by maintaining your mental health. You’re making more time for loved ones by creating your own hours and work environment. You’re waving goodbye to a toxic environment by filling it with clients and colleagues you want to be around.
If you're at the bedside and your mental health is struggling, you have options.
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