Beyond Scrubs: How 10 nurses find balance and joy of their downtime

6. Horse riding

Kyndall Estep is currently a junior nursing student on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is taking up latest roles. He currently serves as president of the North Carolina Nursing Student Association.

Outside of classes, Estep spends his time riding horses. “I started this hobby in elementary school and have been doing it off and on ever since,” she said. “I think that’s one of the reasons I like it — I can focus on what I wanted, even as a kid.”

Estep, who can be Pre-Slate National Association of Student Nurses The presidential candidate added that horse riding not only helps her loosen up, but in addition allows her to ascertain contact with animals. “It’s a great opportunity and a great feeling,” she said. “Horses are powerful creatures that weigh over 10 times my weight, yet they allow me to climb on them and experience life from their perspective.”

7. Birds

As a diabetes nurse educator and freelance health care journalist, Carole Jakucs, MSN, RN, PHN, CDCES, enjoys sharing her clinical knowledge with each students and other clinicians. But beyond her role, she is an avid bird watcher bird.

“There are several things I like about bird watching. It keeps me in good shape both mentally and physically, allows me to enjoy the outdoors and allows me to see the beauty of nature,” Jakucs said. Jakucs, who has greater than 26 years of nursing experience and currently lives in El Segundo, California, added that bird watching can be an awesome stress reliever.

“Feeling the gentle breeze and warm sun touching your skin, enjoying the soothing sound of birds singing and the gentle rustle of the wind through the leaves of the trees…all of this soothes the soul,” she said.

8. Finishing and renovating furniture

Lois Rados is a retired nurse from Grants Pass, Oregon. During her nursing profession, she worked in two states and quite a lot of settings, including the acute rehabilitation unit, medical unit, and discharge planning.

Since retiring in 2022, she has enjoyed restoring and refurbishing old furniture. “It’s exciting when I find an old, discarded item that has seen its better days and breathe new life into it,” she said. “It’s a process of stripping it down to its raw state, supporting or restructuring it as needed, and then dressing it up in a new outfit.”

Rados, who has been a nurse for greater than 24 years, said what she loves most about working with old furniture is the satisfaction of making. “Often during this process, an idea comes along that allows me to create something completely unique and sometimes completely different than my original plan,” she said.

Rados said retirement has given her more freedom. “The clock no longer calls for this proverbial race,” she said. “I can stay in the elbow-deep paint moments as long as I want.”

9. Gardening

Alice Benjamin, MSN, ACNS-BC, FNP-C and Chief Nursing Consultant at Nurse.com, is a clinical nurse and nurse practitioner with over twenty years of nursing experience, specializing in cardiology, critical care and emergency medicine. She also serves as a television medical correspondent, educating the general public on health issues.

Outside of his clinical and media work, Benjamin loves spending time within the garden. “There is something incredibly satisfying about nurturing plants from seeds or small seedlings and watching them grow and develop,” she said. “I love the tactile experience of gardening – the feel of the soil in my hands, the gentle process of planting, and the daily ritual of watering and tending.”

Benjamin, who lives and practices in Los Angeles, California, said gardening impacts her life in some ways, including benefiting her mental health. “After long hours of fulfilling but demanding nursing duties, gardening provides me with a peaceful escape where I can relax and recharge,” she said.

She added that it also strengthens her bond with the environment, in addition to her sense of responsibility for nature conservation. “It is a reminder of the delicate balance in life and the importance of nurturing and caring for our world, just as we care for our patients in nursing,” she said.

10. Riding quads

Jessica Newman, LPN has a personal practice in Fayetteville, North Carolina. While she enjoys her role as a Licensed Practical Nurse, she loves spending time riding ATVs together with her family and friends.

“Thanks to this activity, we will enjoy being together and do away with stress [away] by getting dirty with mud,” she said.

Newman, who is currently studying for the NCLEX-RN exam, said riding ATVs allows her to relieve stress in a healthy way. “There’s something about riding through mud that reduces my stress level after a protracted, trying week,” she added.

A nurse’s work-life balance is crucial to maintaining a healthy profession in healthcare. By engaging in hobbies and passions outside of labor, nurses can recharge their batteries and higher support their mental and physical well-being.