How Creating a Happy Box Helped Me Thrive as a Nurse

Have you ever experienced waking up and already having a bad day? Even when your day hasn’t started yet? If you’re nodding your head, we have something in common with many others.

Some days are great. They’re bright and sunny, and I can get a lot done.

I remember being a nursing student, and there would be days when I was so excited that I was in nursing school. I got to wear nursing scrubs, and when people asked me about what I did, I would proudly say, “I’m in nursing school.”

On those days, I tried to take advantage of that burst of energy by studying my butt off. I dove deep into pathophysiology and pharmacology. I would rewrite information from the Fundamentals of Nursing into my handwritten notes.

However, the reality is that nursing school can be challenging physically, emotionally, and mentally. There were many sleepless nights. Some days I cried on the floor because I failed a quiz or was paired with a Registered Nurse who didn’t like students. Other times, instructors scolded me, and patients yelled at me for something completely mundane–like I didn’t give them a cup of water the minute they asked, all while I was helping another patient having difficulty breathing.

As a nurse, there are times when it is difficult to find a balance between being empathetic and objective. It can drain you physically and emotionally. On these challenging days, it is okay to cry and be upset.

Being a nurse for 14 years, I had to create strategies to help me thrive in the healthcare industry. One of these strategies was making a "happy box."

What is a happy box?

A happy box is where you can store things that bring you joy. Open it to find your favorite snacks, gift cards for your favorite restaurant, and a movie pass. You can also include reminders to watch a funny movie, a letter from a friend, a face masque, pajamas, a thank you note from a previous patient, or an evaluation from your instructor praising your hard work.

You can include as many items as you want. It doesn't have to be a physical box, but any container or space. I encourage you to create something that reminds you that you deserve a pick-me-up, especially during challenging times. This way, you do not always need to rely on someone else to take care of you.

How does happiness impact our work?

Over the years, studies have shown how our mood affects our behavior and neural connections. It negatively impacts our productivity, critical thinking, and clinical judgment, which is essential for our performance and patient care as a nurse.

A book called The Happiness Advantage mentioned a study where researchers put experienced physicians on a test to find out how positive emotions can affect how quickly they can analyze patient symptoms and make correct diagnoses.

The experiment divided physicians into three groups: the first group was primed to feel happy before receiving their patient case study, the second group was neutral and given medically related statements to read first, and the third was given nothing.

After the experiment, researchers concluded that the first group of physicians made the correct diagnoses quicker and with more creativity.

You might ask, "how were they primed to be happy?"

They gave the first group of physicians lollipops! The experiment proves that it only takes a small action to boost our mood, hence improving our focus, productivity, and the way we critically think and reason.

So, for this coming week, I encourage you to do something for yourself. Start with something small. And eventually, you’ll get into the habit of caring for yourself, as you love yourself.