I love getting my nails done as much as any woman, but nursing demands a new set of self-care skills! Since hospitals won’t let us have our nails painted, we have to look outside the box to care for ourselves and support our mental health. The physical, mental, and emotional strain of being a nurse combined with the unique challenges of living miles (or states) away from your family can be hard to handle. I believe self-care and self-love are essential for success as a travel nurse, so read my best suggestions for travel nursing self-care below!

1. Your Health Comes First (get it? It’s #1!)

Eat enough food

It’s easy to find yourself not eating enough food when you start a new travel contract. Driving back and forth between cities on very little sleep, taking quick naps before shifts or required social gatherings, and having limited time to go to the store can lead to terrible diet choices. I used to eat like a kindergartener when I first started traveling because I had only a microwave and minimal fridge space. If your goal is to survive off mini microwavable mac-n-cheese cups or Lunchables, you do you! However, ensuring that you actually eat home-cooked food can make or break your traveling experience.

My tip: Never rent somewhere without a stove or electric cooking top. You can eat a reasonably healthy diet and cook various meals if you have a functional kitchen area. Right now, I am blessed to be staying in an apartment with a beautifully stocked kitchen, which is THE BEST. If you can find a good kitchen in a rental, I highly encourage you to utilize it!

I started eating healthier and saving significant money by packing hot lunches to take to work. Some of my favorites are pasta with grilled chicken, rice with cooked diced vegetables and grilled chicken, and high-protein veggie burgers. I get pre-cooked grilled chicken from ALDI, which is lean meat, high protein, and easy to add to my pasta or stir fry when I warm it up at the hospital. The burgers that I eat are also from ALDI, and while they get pretty soft when you microwave them, they have still proven themselves to be a solid option at 2am!

Something about cold lunches never feels satisfying in the middle of my shift, so I typically avoid them. I save tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiches, refrigerated fruit cups, and salty snacks for when I get home!

If you already have an exercise routine, stick with it if possible. Many popular gyms, including the YMCA and Planet Fitness, are national memberships that will grant you access to any location. My membership to the YMCA lets me in the door and allows me to sign up for classes at my home gym and the gym in my contracted city. If you don’t have an exercise routine, now could be the perfect time to start one! You probably have more free time than you did at home, and it’s a scientifically proven way to prevent depression, normalize your hormones, and keep yourself energized. If you’re homesick, a little forced exercise definitely couldn’t hurt.

2. Make Sure You Follow Your “Why”

Why did you decide to travel? Was it for the increased pay? Did you want to travel for adventure and sightseeing? Were you looking for new experiences? Was it because you wanted to live in a specific area or be closer to other family/friends? There are endless reasons we decide to travel nurse, but I’d like to encourage you not to lose sight of your “why.”

If you’re trying to make as much money as possible, ensure you don’t neglect your health as you chase that (very reachable) goal. If you choose to travel for the actual travel experiences, use that reason to prioritize your free time. By following your “why,” you will end your contract feeling much more satisfied and fulfilled than if you just plodded through your assignment.

My “why” was not originally money-focused. Of course, it was exciting to see my pay package offers for my first assignment, but I ultimately decided to try it because I wanted to get out of town. I wanted to travel the world, so I was thrilled to start traveling the country! The extra income has helped fuel the leisurely side of traveling, but the adventure of it is still where my heart lies.

My tip: Carefully choose between 36-48 hours. Remember, you can always pick up overtime, but you can’t usually decrease your hours after you’ve started! Those 48-hour contract price points might seem tempting, and that might match your personal goals, but remember to take care of yourself first.

3. Don’t JUST Work.

I know it can be tempting to pick up those extra shifts when you know you’re making travel pay. Fridays are my favorite day of the week (thank you, weekly paychecks)! However, you need days off during the week even if your goal is to make tons of money. Those three months will fly by faster than you expect, even as an experienced traveler. My favorite memories from contracts are always time with friends and having new experiences, and I’ve made some really incredible friendships while traveling!

Make friends with other travelers. Nurses love to eat, and some breakfast mimosas after a long shift are a multi-purpose way to unwind! I love a good mimosa flight and pancake brunch! Bonding with other nurses can build connections for switching shifts, give you people to chat with at night to stay awake, and can be convenient when you need a new reference at the end of your contract.

Don’t be afraid to be a tourist! A quick Google search will pop up plenty of bucket list activities in most cities/areas, and there are usually options advertised on the city’s official website too. Experiencing the local attractions together can be a smooth entry into befriending other travel nurses too!

VACATION! If you’ve read this blog at all, you know this is my FAVORITE topic! I try to take 1-2 weeks off between each contract or contract extension for some R&R. I’ve never had a problem getting a few weeks of vacation time off during my contracts.

My tip: Arrange your time off to start on a Wednesday and end on the following Wednesday. This lets you work your three shifts each week and allows you to have a vacation without compromising your budget. Managers appreciate this format too! 😊

For tips on finding restaurants to visit with your new travel nurse friends, click here to read my article, “How I Find Great Restaurants in New Cities!”