NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: Jennie Miller Your Buddy: Julia Sherman

Select any evidence-based intervention/recommendation to follow (do this over 8 weeks):

 Sleep at least 7 hours per night before and after a work or school day
 Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes everyday
 Complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as biking under 9
mph, dancing, jogging, or playing tennis; or complete 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week,
such as running, kickboxing, or jumping rope.
 Participate in two professionally led yoga classes for one hour or longer per week
 Spend up to 2 hrs in Nature or longer per week
 Other (Must get your Clinical Faculty approval first, and activity should be up to 2 hrs or longer
per week)

Complete Weekly journal entries:

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
1 This week I decided to go with the intervention “complete 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise
per week, such as running, kickboxing, or jumping rope.” I actually did about 45 minutes of either
weightlifting, cardiovascular and/or high-intensity interval training six days out of the seven.

Comments on Activity:
Typically, I will try to get in exercise about four times per week, at least 30 minutes each, which totals
out to 120 minutes of exercise per week; I wanted to see if there would be any comparisons in my
energy level if I did it six days instead of my typical four. While my schedule is not necessarily
consistent right now, as we are just getting into school, I felt a lot more energized throughout the days
that I don’t typically exercise. I was able to motivate myself to get up in the morning and workout,
which is something I am not always able to do. I personally would love to maybe mix it up next time
and keep the schedule I already have now and just add in a couple days of moderate-intensity exercise,
walking, or yoga.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
2 With preceptorship having started already, I was feeling a little less motivated this week to do my new
workout schedule. Due to this, I wanted to try something a little different in order to ensure I was still
getting in activity. I decided to modify my intervention to go back to four days of at least 45 minutes of
either weightlifting, cardiovascular and/or high-intensity interval training, and then add in two days of 1
hour yoga.
Comments on Activity:
I am very pleased with how I modified my intervention this week. While I really enjoyed doing
vigorous exercise six days out of the week, I felt like integrating yoga helped me more mindful and less
sore. Yoga is not only great for the physical benefits but also the mental advantages as well. Exercise
can often feel very mindless as it often goes by so quickly that it’s hard to pay attention to things like
your breathing. However, yoga gives you the time to breathe and think, so what exercise lacks in
perhaps “mental fulfillment” yoga helps to make up for it. Ultimately, I plan to continue implementing
this intervention, at least until I am finished with my preceptorship. I’m hoping this will also help me be
more mindful in preceptorship.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Julia found it a little more challenging to complete her intervention this week. Preceptorship made it
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 really difficult to carve out time to do a 20–30-minute video. However, she discussed how she was able
to apply the techniques of yoga, such as mindfulness and deep breathing, to her work in the hospital.
Even though she struggled a little more to do the classes, the things she had learned from her first week
of implementing the intervention could be applied to what she was doing at work. She found this week
to be a little bit more emotionally taxing, so it was nice to be able to apply what she has been learning
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
3 I continued with my two days of 1-hour yoga this week, and my four days of at least 45 minutes of
moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
Comments on Activity:
This is a schedule I’m not typically used to with exercise, and while this is only the second week of me
implementing this particular schedule, I have really enjoyed it so far. I have noticed that it’s helping me
to practice mindfulness or being in the moment without any judgement. This is something that I have
struggled with quite a bit. I often find that my schedule precludes me from being able to have these
moments of self-reflection. I didn’t realize how much I needed it though until I started doing yoga,
focusing on my breathing and my thoughts. I want to continue to do this, because rarely am I ever alone
for enough time to think about myself. I feel that this is going to be especially helpful when I start my
career in nursing.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
With preceptorship being over, Julia was able to take a little more time for her intervention this week.
She has tried to make it more of a habit and was able to complete four days of yoga instead of just three.
She also did it for longer, so instead of doing a 20–30-minute class she did two days of a 40-minute
video. She is finding that the more she does it the stronger she gets, whereas before she had to stop to
take breaks. Julia is also getting a lot better with meditation, which she mentioned was really hard at
first to get down. Julia said that she struggles to just be present and not really think about anything. This
practice has ultimately helped her be more present, which has improved her level of anxiety in, not only
preceptorship, but also in her daily life. Overall, this week was a really good week for her intervention.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
4 I continued with the two days of 1-hour yoga this week, but instead of doing yoga flow both days I
added in a 1-hour yoga cardio class. As for the rest of the week, I did two days of 40-minute strength
training, and two days of 45-minute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
Comments on Activity:
I actually really liked the way that I worked out this week. I have been wanting to add in a little more
strength training into my workout schedule. but also balance it with some yoga. I didn’t expect the
cardio yoga to be easy, but it definitely got my heart pumping and sweat dripping. I was pretty tired by
the end of the class, which is something that I didn’t really think I could feel with yoga. I’m ashamed to
say that for so long I didn’t think that it would be enough, but it really has proved me wrong the more I
do it. I honestly feel like I’m getting stronger, and it’s helping me a lot with other workouts that aren’t
yoga based. Yoga seems to focus a lot on core strength, which is something that you can’t always get
with aerobic exercise; consequently, I’m getting the best of both worlds. I want to try this schedule out a
little longer, so we will see how well it works.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Julia decided to take yoga to the next level and really get in touch with the way both she and her
muscles felt while she was doing it. In doing so, she was able to make changes to her form and
understand what she wanted to work on. Not only has she been able to find awareness in her mind, she
is now finding awareness in her poses and physical practice. She is even becoming more in touch with
her emotions, perhaps even a little sad. Julia explained to me that she didn’t understand why but she is
wanting to figure it out in the coming weeks.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
5 This week, I continued with the two days of 1-hour yoga where one day was dedicated to yoga cardio
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 and the other was dedicated to yoga flow. I continued with my two days of 40-minute strength training,
and two days of 45-minute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
Comments on Activity:
I am really enjoying this new routine where I do one day of yoga flow and then another day of yoga
cardio. The only downside to this is I often struggle with being present and mindful when I am doing
yoga cardio because I definitely tend to focus more on the exercises themselves. A big reason why I
wanted to do yoga in the first place was to learn more about my breathing and being mindful, so it
somewhat defeats the purpose. However, I really do love how it works other muscle groups that I don’t
normally work. I often find that I wake up pretty sore the next day, and I think a big reason for this is
because I am not used to moving my body that way on my strength and aerobic exercise days. I feel like
I am getting stronger by the day as the poses that this particular instructor does are becoming easier to
navigate and do. I notice too that if the the teacher my strength training days asks to balance with the
weights it’s a lot easier.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Julia has now gotten in the habit of doing yoga every day, which has made it a lot easier to do it.
Sometimes trying to balance both her life, exercise, and school can be difficult, and so she has a tough
time getting started. However, once she starts, she feels so much better and has a lot more energy to do
things for the rest of the day.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
6 I was a little sorer this week, so instead of doing two days of 1-hour yoga I did three. I did two days of
yoga flow and then one day of yoga cardio. Additionally, I did two days of 40-minute strength training,
and one day of 45-minute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
Comments on Activity:
Typically, I am someone that loves higher intensity exercise, but this week I was so sore from the
previous week that I needed to do a little less of that and more stretching based workouts. Even though
yoga flow and yoga cardio still require a decent amount of muscle strength, there is also a good mixture
of stretching. It was nice because I was able to break up the days of doing yoga and my higher intensity
workouts, so one day I would do my aerobic and/or strength workout and then the next day I would do a
yoga workout. It was good because I felt a lot more physically and mentally prepared to do both, which
allowed me to get more out of the workouts themselves. While I may not continue with this schedule
next week, I am happy that I found something that can work on the weeks that I am a little sorer.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Julia was a little busy this week with her birthday and school, so she was only able to get in one day of
yoga. Given that it has become such a habit she really missed it and noticed that her anxiety and stress
were a lot more pronounced this week. However, she was able to use a lot of what she had learned from
the yoga videos, such as meditation, to help deal with the stress and anxiety. She is hoping to get back to
her normal schedule next week.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
7 This week I did two days of 1-hour yoga, one day of yoga cardio and another day of yoga flow. I
decided to do two days of 40-minute strength training, one day of 45-minute moderate-intensity aerobic
exercise, and then went on a 1-hour hike the third day.

Comments on Activity:
This week I decided to try out a new yoga instructor that I have been wanting to take class from. I really
enjoyed her class because, not only did she push me in new ways physically, but she also pushed me in
new ways mentally. She brought up a lot of new concepts to think about while I was going through the
class, which was great because now I can apply these concepts to the other classes that I take. One of
the concepts, somewhat unrelated to the yoga itself, was to get out and enjoy nature. Getting out in
nature is something that I have been really bad about, especially during quarantine. I decided to do a
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 little hike this week instead of doing another day of strength training or aerobic exercise, and I can
honestly say this is something I want to continue with. I would love to be able to do yoga outside, but I
don’t have a space to do it; I decided to get together with a friend and get outside for a hike instead.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Even though Julia felt a little off last week because she was only able to get in one day of yoga, she was
able to do four days of yoga this week. She was even able to do it with her sister, who was actually the
person to introduce her to the videos she has been doing. Julia said it was really nice because her sister
kept her motivated, especially because she was feeling a little down this week. She found that the yoga
really helped her pull out of her funk, so she hopes to continue to use it as an outlet whenever this
happens.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
8 This week I did two days of 1-hour yoga, one day of yoga cardio and another day of yoga flow. I
decided to do two days of 40-minute strength training, one day of 45-minute moderate-intensity aerobic
exercise, and then took a 1-hour boxing class.

Comments on Activity:
This week was pretty similar to what I have been doing the past eight weeks. However, one of the days
this week I tried a boxing class and really loved it. It was a good blend of bodyweight strength training
and cardio and was probably one of the best workouts I have ever done. Unfortunately, though, I was
really sore the next day, so I ended up doing one of my yoga workouts and it truly couldn’t have come
at a better time. Granted I was still sore throughout most of the workout, it helped me work through all
the soreness that I had when I first woke up. Again, this is one of the biggest reasons why I have loved
doing yoga is because it has raised awareness to the importance of stretching and breathing. I love how
much emphasis yoga puts on breathing, because we really need that good oxygen for energy. I feel that I
definitely neglect to breathe when I am doing my other workouts, so I am most likely not getting the
same benefits.
Complete Survey Below
(Once Completed submit entire document to D2L Assignment Drop box by Due date and add to Your
Portfolio.)

Reflection on Panopto presentation and 8-week intervention:

What did these activities teach you?

These activities taught me that it’s important to consider other modalities of self-care than the ones we
are used to. I have done yoga before, but I had never done it on a super consistent basis, so I feel as
though I never truly realized the benefits. However, now having integrated it into my workout schedule
for eight weeks, I can honestly say that it has taught me more than just how to be mindful. Also, I have
gotten so used to doing yoga that now I can’t not do it at some point during the week.

Have you noticed any changes in your life since you began this intervention?
I have noticed a lot of changes, and not only in my life, but also my exercise. I love to be active, and I
have been for a good chunk of my life. The activities or exercises that I tend to do are more vigorous in
nature, so yoga was a huge change for me. I was a competitive dancer for twelve years prior to college,
and the rigor of each dance varied, some being harder to get through than others; consequently, I had a
good balance of moderate to more vigorous activity. When I got into college, I started to do more
strength training and high-intensity aerobic exercises, and I have kept up with that ever since.
Sometimes I feel a little burnt out because I have a pretty crazy schedule during the day, and then
adding on exercise first thing in the morning can be a little tough. Now that I’m doing yoga though I
have a lot more energy throughout my day. I’m not as tired and sore as I used to be, which was
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 ultimately keeping me from wanting to do my workouts or getting the most out of them. I feel like this
has also allowed me to be a lot more present in my relationships and schoolwork as I’m not as tired as I
used to be. All in all, it has been made a really positive change in my life.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I am most definitely going to maintain this workout plan for as long as I can. As said in the previous
question, I have so much more energy which is something I want to make sure I have enough of next
year. Perhaps maybe on my working days I can do yoga, and on my off days I can do strength training
or aerobic exercise. I’m so much more intentional and mindful in my life, I’m breathing more, and I am
just so much more centered and grounded, which are things I have definitely struggled with throughout
quarantine; consequently, I am fully committed to making this 8-week intervention an actual habit.

Comments/suggestions:
No comments other than I really enjoyed this assignment. It opened my eyes to something I probably
deep down always wanted to try but just didn’t think it could be done.

Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with these statements:
Following an evidence-based recommendation to reduce burnout was valuable to me.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This 8-week intervention will help me implement preventative strategies for burnout in my career.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This Panopto presentation titled: “Nurse Burnout: What this is and how you can minimize it in your careers”
effectively taught me how I can reduce and address nurse burnout in my career.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

Completing the Big Five Personality Test was helpful for exploring my risk of nurse burnout.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

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