President's Message

Taking Time for Yourself Helps to Reduce Stress
Karen J. Stanley, RN, MSN, AOCN^®, FAAN
ONS President

Whether it's final examinations, boards and certification tests, or a difficult situation with a patient, we all deal with stressors on multiple fronts. As individuals committed to caring for others, we often take care of everyone else before we attend to our own needs.

I encourage you to take the time to assess your own lifestyle, identify what you can do to “give yourself a break,” and commit to doing just that. In my role as ONS president, I have to travel quite a bit and frequently deal with a hectic schedule. To maintain a healthy lifestyle and to ensure a positive outlook on my world, I try to take time for myself every day. What does that mean? I no longer allow myself to get irritated at the rudeness of fellow travelers and roll with the punches when flights are canceled or delayed. I exercise a minimum of three to five times a week in gyms and at home, traveling with stretchy bands to exercise in my hotel room. I maintain, as much as possible, my commitment to a healthy diet, often traveling with my own blender to make power shakes. I contact old friends around the country as I travel to recharge my emotional batteries. I call my family, most especially my granddaughter, several times a week to reinforce my role as a member of a loving family.

Because the presidency is a visible role, requiring a significant amount of public time, I pace myself and carve out time slots during my travel time when I can be alone, watching a movie or reading. That “downtime” provides energy for presidential duties.

In this issue of the Student Voice, you will learn some strategies to reduce stress. I encourage you to use these as you face examinations, clinical rotations, and other stressful times. You owe this to yourself, your family and friends, and your patients. The world would be a better place if all of us made a commitment to proactively manage the stress in our lives. I wish you well.