Feeling Stuck? Why Awareness Isn’t Enough—and What to Do Instead

You’ve probably said it before: “I know what to do, I’m just not doing it.”

We know a lot of things about health, wellness, and illness prevention. We know the importance of regular exercise and eating clean, and yet it seems to still be a universal struggle.

When push comes to shove, we all know that awareness and knowledge isn’t enough; it has to be followed up with action, and when it comes to taking consistent action, no one is perfect.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a hack or solution that will change this universal truth.

Fortunately, we don’t need to.

As true as it is that perfect, consistent action-taking is impossible, it is also true that small steps, taken imperfectly and somewhat consistently, can have compounding effects. The value of a hesitant, small step in the right direction still moves us in the right direction. It is the basis of every goal-setting, self-help book

The process is straightforward.

1. Build awareness around where you are starting and where you want to be ie: identify the problem and the goal.

2.  Gather some ideas about where to start, what options for change are available.

3.  Pick one and try it.

4. Evaluate: What worked? What didn’t work? What would you do differently?

5. Keep putting in the reps; small steps take repetition. Celebrate yourself every time that you take action rather than waiting to celebrate the final result. This keeps you going. Miss a day? It’s ok. Remember that perfection is not possible.

6. Getting stuck or discouraged? Remind yourself of other times you had to keep going and you managed to achieve what you set out to, even if it took longer than expected or took some detours. Focus on WHY you want to do it in the first place.

7. Evaluate again. Are you getting good at this one small step? Ready to add a second one?

The same approach is key to feeling better at work, to fighting burnout, and to loving your job.

Ironically, though, it is very rarely applied to this situation. We know if we are looking to change a habit or build our health that the steps above make sense, and yet, despite the profound health benefits of being happy at work, we assume this is out of our control.

Feeling better at work relies on the repetition of small actions.

Yup, it bears saying again.

Feeling better at work relies on the repetition of small actions.

Not on your coworkers changing, or getting paid more, or management valuing you.

Feeling better at work can start with very small steps, done imperfectly and with SOME consistency.

You have heard of many of them before. You may be like me; I disregarded many of them until I was so miserable and desperate that I decided I had nothing to lose by trying them. Here’s a list to pick from

1. Start a gratitude practice: write down 3 new things every day that you are grateful for.

2. Try a mindfulness strategy such as mindful hand washing (Google it if you’ve never heard

of it) or guided meditation.

3. Reframe your thoughts: Identify the narration you have of your experience at work. What else is also true? What are some positive statements about what you do? Ie, “the work I do today can positively impact someone’s life”.

4. Try progressive relaxation or guided imagery for 5 minutes per day. YouTube can help.

5. Do some breathing exercises like box breathing. Doing this throughout the day can significantly downregulate your nervous system.

6. Feeling overwhelmed at work, lean into the patient care. Focus on the person in front of you- the rest will wait either way.

These are easy actions, ones that you may be tempted to dismiss as “not worth it” or too small. Listing easy approaches was intentional. They don’t have to be difficult to be effective, and they are all backed by research.

If you want to feel better at work, you must be willing to make a plan and to take action (with some consistency).

Is it worth it? Is it worth the 5 minutes a day that one of these strategies will take if it helps you feel better? Have you let yourself think about the amazing impact it would have on your life if you didn’t feel like work was sucking you dry?

Commit to feeling better at work. Commit to taking action until you see results. Commit to yourself and your own well-being.

You are so worth it.

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Too overwhelmed to know where to start? Skeptical that it is even possible to feel better in your specific situation? Reach out to connect for a free consult at Megan@NursingBeyondTheJob.com. This is exactly what we will explore, and you will come out of it with clarity and hope. I look forward to supporting your commitment to yourself.