Winter blues motivation can help get you through a nasty bout of temporary depression or seasonal affective disorder. What works for you might be different than your friends, but some methods will help, from a solid routine to getting a bit more natural sunlight.

The Use of Supplements

Supplements can be a mighty boost for your overall well-being. Vitamins and minerals are essential, but it can be hard to get all you need. During winter, this includes vitamin D because we generally stay inside more. Other supplements for energy and focus include zinc, vitamin B, and magnesium. There are also nootropics such as Aniracetam and caffeine you can use for a little brain boost. These can help beat the dreaded winter blues brain fog some of us can get.

Keep Up with a Routine

Many underestimate the power of a routine. But it works on many levels to help ease your mind and get you out of bed, which is an integral part. It helps to establish a rising time for your day, and always try to get to bed at the same time each night. Planning your day is also essential to focus your mind and balance expectations. Plan around appointments and take the day off work if possible so you reduce the stress of leaving home.

Self-Care for Winter Blues Motivation

Self-care is essential. Personal hygiene is a great start, but that is the bare minimum. Further, self-care is vital in winter for beating the blues. Taking care of yourself more than usual can help you deal with a terrible day. Get your hair done, shop a little if that’s your thing, or visit your favorite chocolate store. Doing things that make you feel better will, of course, help you feel better. But don’t forget to talk it through with someone close to you.

Using Certain Devices

SAD is a form of depression, and around 5% of people in the US alone experience it for almost half the year. However, some treatments can be ineffective because SAD can affect people differently. There are devices you can use, such as a light therapy lamp. These lamps mimic the sunrise and help get you out of bed in the morning. Smart devices such as Alexa can also offer guided meditation, suggest music for getting up daily, and offer encouragement.

Getting More Natural Sunlight

Mimicking sunlight is one thing, and sun lamps are effective for most people. But any doctor will advise you to get more natural sunlight. This can be especially helpful since the leading cause of SAD is a lack of natural lighting. Of course, it can be hard to get outside when you feel depressed. But it is almost guaranteed that you will feel better. Around ten minutes daily is enough to feel the benefits alongside vitamin D, fresh air, and socializing with others.

Summary

Some people use supplements for winter blues motivation. There are also devices like sun lamps available. And it will also help to treat yourself more than you typically would.

8 in 10 men in the UK would rather suffer from an illness before going to see a doctor. In the US, this number is around 60% of the male population. There is a stereotype that has been in place for many years that dictates that men should suffer and “man up” when it comes to being ill and that giving in and getting medical care for any ailments is a sign of weakness.

However, neglecting to get something checked out can compound the health issues you are having and make things worse than they need to be.

But how do men know when they need to see a doctor or when they can self-treat?

Changes in Mood or Mental Health

Multiple factors can influence your mood or behavior as a man, and knowing when to get help for a low mood or a change in emotions can help you pinpoint the cause and rectify things. Low testosterone can cause low mood, a loss of sex drive, air loss, and weight gain, to name a few symptoms. If you suspect you have low testosterone, see how to find your test level here to know for sure. Other issues, such as tumors, can cause depression; however, in some cases, there is no cause for low moods or reasons as to why you are depressed, but visiting your doctor can give you treatment options so you can regain your life.

Sharp or Excessive Pain

Aches and pains are typical parts of life for everyone, especially as you get older, but knowing the difference between general aches and pains and pain indicating something is wrong can help you get treatment for your pain and identify the cause. If the pain takes your breath away, is something you’ve not experienced before, or is interfering with your ability to do day-to-day tasks, then you might need to see a doctor to get pain relief or further treatments.

Chest Pain

No one should ignore chest pain. A sudden sharp, stabbing, crushing chest pain coupled with pain in your jaw, arm, or shoulder can indicate a heart attack or other heart problems. A heart attack is an emergency, and instead of writing off this pain as heartburn or indigestion, get it checked out, especially if you don’t typically suffer from heartburn or haven’t eaten anything that has triggered it. If you feel lightheaded, you are struggling to talk, or you feel nauseous, then you need to contact the emergency services to get the root of your chest pain.

Frequent Urination

Are you getting up at night to go to the toilet more frequently? This can indicate an enlarged prostate or an infection, so it’s best to get it checked out. Increased urination can disrupt your sleeping habits and your day and make things uncomfortable, especially if you experience pain when urinating. Book an appointment with your doctor to help you get the appropriate tests done and uncover why you need to use the toilet more often than you should.

While men are less likely to see a physician when they don’t feel quite right, many health concerns need to be checked out by a healthcare professional to help you retain your health and avoid suffering for longer than necessary.

In this article, you’ll find a list of travel careers you can do in other countries to live your best life.

If you are tired of the usual, mundane nine-to-five, you could jet off to a faraway destination and start a new career. If you are looking for a job that will keep you satisfied but also fit and healthy, look no further. Below is a list of careers you can do in other countries if you have the necessary qualifications and training. Always be bold, update your resume, and send it to prospective employees or companies you would love to work for. 

Nursing

Nursing is one of the best careers you can do that can take you anywhere in the world. Ensure you know the qualifications needed in your country of choice. If you are traveling the world, you may want to stay somewhere briefly. If this is the case, you should look into flexible travel nurse positions, which could be an excellent choice. 

Teaching 

Another great career that will take you all around the world is teaching. You can go anywhere you want if you have a teaching degree and qualified teaching status. You could volunteer in the African villages where they build schools for the children. Alternatively, you could teach English abroad if you can speak another language. There are hundreds of positions just waiting for you to apply and show off your excellent teaching skills. 

Trainer

Do you enjoy working with people and staying physically fit? If the answer is yes, consider becoming a personal trainer. You can do this career from anywhere; all exercises are the same. If you want to train on the beaches in Miami, then the sun is calling you. Get yourself down to Muscle Beach and build up a great client list. 

Holiday Rep 

Why not incorporate the two if you love working with people and traveling? Become a travel rep, and you can work in some of the best locations worldwide. You can work anywhere, and there could be multiple locations throughout the year. You could find yourself in Europe during the summer, helping people settle into their hotels. Come winter, you could be jetting off to the Caribbean for some winter sun. 

Disney Worker

Finally, if you love Disney, you should follow your dreams and join the Disney crew. Doing this will make you meet many interesting people from all over the world. You could be behind the scenes working on all the sets and scenery you see, or you could be the princess who dresses up and wanders around the park. Whatever you want to do, there is always a place for people in the happiest place on earth. 

I hope you found this article helpful and that it gave you some insight and inspiration for your next career. Travel the world and work while seeing some excellent sites and meeting fantastic people. 

While nursing is a noble job, it often isn’t paid that way. Sometimes, you could need extra money to pay the bills or for something else. You naturally wouldn’t want to quit nursing, but you might want to find something like it.

That’s where nursing-related side hustles come in. They’ll let you earn more money while still using your nursing experience.

You can fit many of these side hustles around your main job, and can pay relatively well. They’re well worth considering because of that. It’s worth diving into some of the better side hustles you can consider.

They could even make you feel better about yourself.

Nursing-Related Side Hustles: 5 Top Picks

1. Health Coach

You’ll naturally want to help people look after their health. That’s why a health coach can be one of the better-recommended nursing-related side hustles. It lets you help people look after their health while allowing you to make a decent amount of money with it. You can even work it around your current schedule.

With some effort, you can get as many clients as you want. Since these will all pay a decent bit per hour, you could have a relatively large side income. It could even end up surpassing your nursing wage. It can be appealing for that reason alone.

Selling CBD

Some of the more profitable side hustles involve selling something. As a nurse, you’ll want this to be health-related, but you might have trouble picking the right things to sell. CBD can be one of the more notable for various reasons. You shouldn’t even need to put too much effort into setting all of this up.

With a website, some CBD payment processing systems, and more, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. After that, it’s as simple as advertising what you’re selling, and you’ll have nothing to worry about. You could end up making more than you’d think with it.

Health Blogger

Blogging is one of the more notable nursing-related side hustles you can consider. By writing about topics that concern nurses, you can lean on your expertise and skills. Using this, you can create a relatively active reader base that you can monetize. It’s one of the easier ways you can make money with your experience.

All you’ll need for this is a website to blog on, and you can set this up relatively quickly. After that, it’s a matter of writing about what your primary audience will like. In time, you can start bringing in advertisers and sponsors, letting you earn a decent bit of money.

Podcasting

Podcasting has long been a great side hustle, and you could make more from it than you would’ve thought. You mightn’t even need to put too much time or effort into it. By focusing on nursing-related topics, you should already have all the information you need.

You can talk about various nursing issues, as well as patient-centric topics. The amount of things you could discuss on these podcasts is almost unparalleled. You can get sponsors for your shows, translating into more revenue than you would’ve thought.

With how effective this can be as a side hustle, you’ve no reason not to try it.

Part-Time Caregiver

As a nurse, you’ll naturally want to help people in need. That doesn’t always mean working in a hospital or similar environment. Sometimes, it’s a matter of helping people in their own homes. You can do this as a caregiver, and there are plenty of part-time roles you can pick up.

You could take on as many or as few clients as you want so that you can work it around your current schedule. The pay is also good, and you can earn a decent amount per hour. You’ll already be responsible for relatively similar duties to your current role, so you shouldn’t have much to worry about with this.

Nursing-Related Side Hustles: Wrapping Up

With some nursing-related side hustles, you can create another income stream without needing to up-skill or re-skill. Your current experience and job could make these relatively easy to get. With its benefits, there’s no reason not to consider a few of them.

Whether you have an unexpected bill or something you want to save up for, you shouldn’t have a problem with a few specific side hustles. They could even be easier to do than you would’ve thought. There shouldn’t be anything getting in your way.

Injuries are a natural part of life that we all experience occasionally. You must implement a clear rehab plan, whether sustained on the sports field or around the home. 

A doctor or physiotherapist is the best person to tell you which exercises should be completed during this time. In truth, though, following them as instructed is only one ingredient in the recipe for success. If you want the road to recovery to be as smooth as possible, avoiding the common pitfalls is equally essential.

Here are some common mistakes you should know about and the best ways to overcome them.

Not allowing your body time to rest

When the body has encountered damage due to a physical injury, it needs time to recuperate. Establishing healthy sleep patterns at night should be the top item on your agenda. You will want to raise and support the injured body part where necessary. 

As well as getting enough sleep, you must rest your body throughout the day. Thanks to pharmaceutical packaging companies, you can now find easily opened painkillers. You can manage pain and inflammation even when your injury has made it hard to see or open certain packaging types. 

Whether you have a broken bone, pulled ligaments, or a burn doesn’t matter. A period of rest will provide the perfect platform to build upon. Conversely, all subsequent stages will be unnecessarily more complicated if you overlook this journey step.

 Expecting the body to naturally repair itself

It can be easy to assume that an injury will take care of itself. While the human body will try to naturally repair itself, it often can’t restore true normality without medical interference. The longer you leave an issue untreated, the harder it is to fully recover.

Early recognition of the injury and treatment plans will be crucial for recovery. Otherwise, the injury may worsen or spread to other areas. Speaking to a physical therapist allows you to prevent further damage. Only then can you start to build your way back to total health.

You wouldn’t try to repair a leak without stopping it first. Try to think of your body similarly, and you’ll understand why action is needed. Besides, professional advice will give you confidence regarding the subsequent phases.

Not investigating the root cause

Knowing you have an injury is one thing, but understanding why you have it is another altogether. In some cases, such as impact injuries, you’ll probably have a clear insight into how the injury occurred. If you don’t, though, it’s vital that you investigate it.

Injuries may be caused by poor posture, underlying health conditions, or a lack of protection. Investigating the issues that have caused the injuries will allow you to develop a recovery plan built for long-term success. Moreover, it should enable you to take precautions to avoid repeat injuries.

Knowledge is power, not least when thinking about ways to support your body’s natural recovery. And if there is an underlying issue, the opportunity to treat this will significantly reduce the risk of future injuries.

Following the same diet

Nutrition plays a crucial role in your life at all times. Sadly, many people fall into the trap of following the same diet despite the huge lifestyle contrasts caused by injuries. The negative influence may make things far tougher when you eventually return to fitness.

You will likely burn fewer calories due to reduced exercise and fewer steps taken during the day. Reducing your food intake to reflect this is advised. However, it’s equally important to remember that a body in active recovery will burn more calories than one at rest. So, you must not fall into the trap of undereating.

Crucially, you must get the proper nutrients to support your physical recovery. Eating fruits, vegetables, and supplements will help you achieve this. When combined with suitable hydration levels, you won’t go far wrong.

Not talking about your concerns

Suffering an injury doesn’t only take a toll on the body. It also has a significant influence on your mindset. This is because you are limited on what you can do, will experience daily discomfort, and may see social interactions become limited.

It can feel lonely, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Speaking to friends and relatives about how you feel instantly lifts a weight from your shoulders. Or you could talk to a mental health expert with experience helping people through situations like yours. As well as listening to you, they can teach you to handle the situation.

Another option is to connect with others that have experienced similar situations. You can do this via local groups or online forums. Knowing you’re not alone can make the road to recovery feel far less bumpy.

Ignoring the financial impacts

Another source of problems during this challenging time stems from the financial repercussions. If your medical insurance doesn’t cover the expenses, your treatments and lifestyle adjustments can soon burn a hole in your pocket. 

Speaking to your medical provider about insurance claims is essential. They should be able to guide you through the process. Or if you were injured in a road accident or workplace incident, you may want to pursue legal action. Aside from financial compensation, it will deliver the justice needed to draw a line under the situation.

When you are no longer preoccupied with money worries, you can focus on your recovery. Missing out on treatments or other forms of support due to financial barriers should never be an outcome. However, only you can take control of the situation.

Misusing common treatments

As our knowledge of the human body evolves, it becomes clear that some ideas must be updated. Or, at the very least, the methods used must be adapted to reflect your situation. Crucially, following the same processes as someone else could bring limited results.

For example, using ice baths can be great for recovery. However, you must adapt the strategy to match the injury recovery phase. Similarly, you should avoid taking antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress during this time. Sometimes, you have to let your body encounter difficult stages as a part of the overall recovery.

Meanwhile, it’s probably best to avoid fad plans or viral trends you’ve seen. Otherwise, one wrong move could potentially cause more harm than good. Before introducing any new technique, you should speak to your medical expert.

Rushing back to exercise

Following the initial rehabilitation stages, you will naturally be eager to return to a more active lifestyle. Unfortunately, a lack of patience could cost you dearly, as rushing the process can increase the risk of recurring injuries. 

It should also be noted that the body’s attempts to compensate for the current fragility may put other body parts at risk. When looking at the dos and don’ts of exercising with a back injury, for example, it’s clear that easing back into things with low-impact exercise is vital. This is a good rule of thumb for any injury. 

This approach allows your body to build back up to its former strength and fitness. Conversely, if you try to push through the pain, there’s a strong chance that your enjoyment levels will significantly fall, too. 

Focusing solely on strength

From dedicated rehab exercises to standard gym sessions, focusing on rebuilding the lost strength may be tempting. Aside from making you feel stronger, it may help you feel less susceptible to recurrent injuries. But you must pay attention to motion and movement.

Restoring the entire movement of a joint or muscle is equally crucial for several reasons. It restores the full range of motion and provides added stability to the injured body part. Increased blood flow and circulation will aid the natural healing process. This is why you should introduce movement back into your life as soon as the initial inflammation passes.

Your muscles will need time to recuperate after strength training, too. Incorporating days focused on movement and motion will make this easier to achieve. Keeping your mind engaged with a variety of exercises is another hidden bonus.

Not wearing supportive attire

Depending on the type of injury you’ve suffered, many supportive items may be suitable for you to use. This can range from accessories worn during exercise to daily clothing until full strength and motion are restored.

Some examples include ankle supports, back braces, and finger grips. Alternatively, you may need to change your footwear during exercise to support your core. With this in mind, it is worth speaking to an expert who can find the proper attire and accessories for your needs. It can aid comfort and your recovery.

The impact can be huge, whether it’s a temporary measure or a permanent adjustment to your workouts. For your health and happiness, this can be one of the most significant steps of all. You’ve got this.