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If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by paperwork or endless to-do lists, you’re not alone. In healthcare, staying organized can feel impossible.

Early in my career as a nurse manager, I found myself buried in piles. Sticky notes, papers, and random notes covered my desk, with no clear system for organizing them. Despite taking detailed notes during meetings, they would end up in the same chaotic stacks. I wasted time searching for what I needed, felt constantly behind, and my stress levels steadily increased.

One particularly chaotic week pushed me to my breaking point. I knew I couldn’t continue this way and had to find a better system. That’s when I came across David Allen’s Getting Things Done. I read it over a weekend and immediately felt inspired to take action. The following Monday—on my day off—I went into the office and completely overhauled everything. I sorted papers, created systems, and organized my tasks in a way that finally made sense.

The results were almost immediate. Once I implemented these strategies, everything changed. I stopped wasting time searching for documents and felt a newfound sense of control that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. My stress decreased, my productivity improved, and I could finally focus on what mattered most.

This experience taught me that everyone needs a system that works for them. The key is to start small by addressing the areas that cause the most stress. Develop a routine for reviewing tasks, and use tools that support your workflow.

Working in healthcare, chaos often feels unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Small, intentional changes in how you organize your work can make a huge difference in how you feel and how productive you are.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, there’s a way through—and I can help. I coach healthcare professionals to find clarity, reduce stress, and create systems that truly work. Send me a message or book a complimentary, no-obligation consultation, and let’s get you back on track.

Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book a coaching session here. 

You’re used to managing chaos. Emergencies, unexpected changes in patient needs, and shifting priorities come with the territory. But here’s something you may not realize: one of the keys to better time management is clarifying what truly matters.

In the fast-paced world of healthcare, it’s easy to feel like every task is urgent. You’re constantly pulled between patient care, documentation, team communication, and the small details that can eat up your time. What often happens is that the most important tasks—the ones that truly make a difference in patient outcomes and your job satisfaction—get buried under everything else.

Here’s the truth: good time management isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most. That starts with getting clear on your priorities, and here’s how you can start:

1. Define Your Non-Negotiables  

Not every task is equally important. Think about your day-to-day: what tasks must get done no matter what? These might be critical patient assessments, medication administration, or even checking in with your team. Identify 2-3 tasks that are truly non-negotiable each day. Let these be the anchor points for your time.

2. Use Microblocks of Time  

Healthcare shifts rarely go as planned. Between patient emergencies and last-minute changes, the day can feel unpredictable. Instead of fighting this reality, work with it. Break your tasks into smaller “micro blocks” of time. Even 5-10 minutes can be used productively—whether it’s catching up on charting, prepping for the next patient, or organizing supplies. Use these short bursts of time to knock out smaller tasks instead of waiting for a big chunk of time that may never come.

3. Say ‘No’ with Confidence  

One of the hardest things for healthcare workers is setting boundaries. When a colleague asks for help, or your manager assigns an extra task, it’s tempting to say yes. But saying yes to everything often means saying no to your own priorities. Practice saying no when a task doesn’t align with your core responsibilities. This isn’t about being difficult—it’s about protecting your time so you can focus on what really matters.

4. Batch Similar Tasks Together  

The constant back-and-forth between different types of tasks—like patient care, charting, and meetings—can cause mental fatigue and slow you down. Instead, try batching similar tasks together. For example, dedicate a block of time to complete all your charting at once instead of doing it between every patient. You’ll find that staying in one mode of thinking can help you get through your tasks more efficiently and with less stress.

5. Prioritize Breaks for Mental Clarity  

It’s easy to skip breaks when you’re busy, but this can actually hurt your productivity. Taking short breaks helps reset your mind and can make you more effective when you return to work. Prioritize short, regular breaks to boost your mental clarity. Even five minutes to step away, take a deep breath, or hydrate can make a huge difference in your ability to stay focused and efficient.

By incorporating these small yet powerful shifts into your daily routine, you’ll start to see improvements in how you manage your time and energy. The goal isn’t to be perfect; it’s to be intentional. Time management is about using the time you *do* have more wisely—so you can provide better care to your patients and experience more peace during your shift.

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PS: Ready to take control of your time and reduce stress? Sign up for my (FREE) masterclass on How to Manage Your Time. You’ll learn practical strategies to regain control of your day without burning out. Click here to register! (Zoom link will be shared upon registration.)

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Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book a coaching session here. 

P.P.S. Liked what you read? Join my email list, where I dive deeper into these concepts and teach you HOW to put them into practice in your everyday life. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (@christineseager_) or Facebook (@seager.christine), where I share both teaching moments and real-life examples of this work in action. 

We often find ourselves striving for perfection, aiming to create an environment where everything runs smoothly and everyone feels their best. However, one of the most liberating realizations we can have is that life is inherently balanced between positive and negative experiences. This concept, often referred to as the 50/50 principle, suggests that life is composed of roughly 50% fulfilling, uplifting moments and 50% challenging, difficult ones. Sometimes, this ratio might feel more like 80/20 or 20/80, but over time, it tends to balance out. Understanding this can profoundly impact how we approach our personal and professional lives.

The Duality of Life: Light and Darkness

Imagine the cycles of day and night. Without darkness, we wouldn’t truly appreciate the light. Similarly, the challenging moments in our lives give depth and meaning to the joyful ones. For example, a nurse who has experienced the stress of an overflowing ER on a busy night can deeply appreciate the calm and satisfaction of a smoothly running shift. Without the chaos, the calm wouldn’t be as gratifying.

Examples from Healthcare

1. Patient Outcomes:

• Positive: Successfully helping a patient recover and witnessing their gratitude can be incredibly rewarding.
• Challenging: Facing a difficult case where, despite your best efforts, the outcome is not as hoped. These moments are tough but teach us resilience and compassion.

1. Work Environment:

• Positive: Being part of a supportive team where everyone collaborates effectively.
• Challenging: Experiencing conflicts or miscommunications with colleagues. While uncomfortable, these situations can lead to growth in conflict resolution and teamwork skills.

1. Personal Growth:

• Positive: Feeling confident and competent in your role, knowing you are making a difference.
• Challenging: Dealing with self-doubt or a mistake that shakes your confidence. These moments can drive you to improve and learn more.

Embracing the Balance

Realizing that it’s unrealistic to feel 100% positive all the time is crucial. Life’s challenges do not diminish its value; rather, they enhance our ability to appreciate the good times. As healthcare providers, this understanding can help us manage our expectations and reduce the pressure we place on ourselves.

• Acceptance: Acknowledge that not every day will be perfect. Some days will be harder than others, and that’s okay.
• Perspective: Reflect on past experiences where challenges led to personal or professional growth. This can help shift your perspective and find value in difficult times.
• Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Understand that experiencing difficult emotions doesn’t mean you’re failing; it’s a natural part of the human experience.

Conclusion

Embracing the 50/50 principle allows us to navigate our lives with more grace and acceptance. As healthcare providers, understanding this balance can help us better cope with the inevitable ups and downs of our profession. By recognizing that both light and darkness play a role in our journey, we can find deeper fulfillment and resilience in our everyday experiences.

Let’s strive not for a life free from challenges but for a balanced life where we appreciate the beauty of the positive moments and find strength and growth in the difficult ones.

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Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here. 

Picture this: You’re standing in your closet, rifling through clothes, and the conversation with your spouse is getting heated. Your face is flushed, your heart rate picks up, and the words you’re exchanging are sharp and cutting. You’re frustrated, feeling trapped in a cycle of annoyance and anger. But then, a startling realization hits you – your spouse isn’t even there. They’re actually sitting peacefully in the dining room. The entire argument was just in your head.

How often do we find ourselves in this situation, having imaginary battles and emotional outbursts over scenarios that are only playing out in our minds? This story might sound familiar to many of us, and it highlights an important aspect of our mental and emotional well-being: our thoughts have immense power, but they are just that – thoughts.

Recognizing the Power of Your Thoughts

In the story, the person in the closet is completely immersed in their thoughts, to the point where their body reacts as if the imagined argument is real. This physical response – the heat, the frustration, the annoyance – is a clear indicator of how powerful our thoughts can be. But here’s the crucial takeaway: those thoughts are not necessarily reality. They are just one person’s interpretation and projection of potential scenarios.

The Key to Awareness: It’s Just Your Thoughts

Understanding that it’s just your thoughts is the first step towards gaining control over your emotional responses. When you realize that the conversation in your head isn’t actually happening, you gain the power to choose how to react. You can decide whether to engage with those thoughts, believe them, or act upon them.

Imagine if the person in the closet took a moment to pause, take a deep breath, and recognize that their spouse is in the dining room, unaware of the turmoil in the closet. This pause can shift the entire dynamic. Instead of spiraling into anger and frustration, they can choose to address the situation calmly or even decide that the argument isn’t worth having at all.

The Choice is Yours

As human beings, we have the incredible ability to choose how we respond to our thoughts. This doesn’t mean suppressing or ignoring them but rather acknowledging their presence and then deciding how much weight to give them. Here are a few steps to help you navigate this process:

1. Pause: When you feel yourself getting overwhelmed by your thoughts, take a moment to pause and breathe. This simple act can create the space needed to step back and gain perspective.
2. Have Awareness: Recognize that the thoughts running through your mind are just that – thoughts. They are not necessarily true.
3. Question Your Thoughts: Are they based on assumptions or facts? This can help you determine how to respond.
4. Choose Your Response: Decide how you want to act or react. Remember, you have the power to choose a response that aligns with your values and desired outcomes.

Conclusion

The next time you find yourself in an imaginary argument or feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts, remember the person in the closet. Acknowledge that it’s only your thoughts creating the turmoil, and you have the power to choose how to respond. By practicing awareness and intentionality, you can navigate your thoughts more effectively and create a more peaceful and empowered life.

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Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here. 

Or do you believe that you are who you are and it is what it is? 

Often, when you’re up to something new or different, you will inevitably get uncomfortable. Then, you will have the urge to repeat or reinforce who you ARE instead of who you WANT to be. 

It may sound like this: 

• I’m always late. 
• I’m not a good nurse. 
• I’m just a procrastinator; I do things best at the last minute. 
• I can never remember anything.
• I’m always exhausted. 

What if instead of, “This is just who I am…” 

There is simply some discomfort that you can learn to sit with instead.

Remember, your brain’s job is to keep you the same. 

It doesn’t want to change, grow, or do different things. 

It likes same-same. 

So when you try to adopt a new belief about yourself, to do or create something new, your brain will urge you to reinforce your current ways. 

It will hold you back from taking enough consistent and tangible action to create a different result. 

Instead, have awareness. 

Notice when you’re reinforcing your old beliefs. 

Notice how often you tell yourself: I can’t do that; I don’t know how. I’m not a good nurse; she is better. I’m never on time. I’m just forgetful, etc. 

With that new awareness, you will see what you’re doing, and you can question if it’s true. 

Are you really never, ever a good writer at all? Never? 

Are you never, ever on time, or can you get to work on time; you’re just perpetually late to dinner with friends? 

Do you really always forget things, or do you only forget things that seem inconsequential? 

Can you figure out how to do something you’ve never done before? And if so, where might one start? 

Be honest with yourself and your brain. 99.999% of the things it tells you are not true. 

Once you dispel these myths it’s offering you, you can start to build the belief that you are, indeed, able to change. 

And you can resist the urge to reinforce the belief that you can’t. 

Simply choose not to repeat those beliefs to yourself. 

Since you’re on time for work, you can be on time. 

Since you remember your child’s birthday, you can remember things. 

Since you can put together furniture, you can figure things out. 

Just because she is a good nurse doesn’t mean you aren’t a good nurse, too.

Find more and more evidence for how this is true. 

Then, repeat these new beliefs- the beliefs of someone who you WANT to be. 

In time, you will become the person you want to be and look back, astonished that you’re no longer that person over there; you’ve become this person over here– the person you want to be. 

If this interests you and you would like to learn more about how to change your self-concept- the perception you have about yourself and who you are, join me via Zoom on Wednesday, July 17th at 11 AM MT for the next FREE monthly masterclass. Registration is required, and you can do so by clicking here.

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As a reminder, as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, you are entitled to fully confidential coaching at no cost to you. (Yes, it’s free for you). You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here. If you have any questions, just email me at Christine@christineseager.com.