80. “I’m Always Behind”: What So Many Nurses Are Feeling

80. “I’m Always Behind”: What So Many Nurses Are Feeling

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300872/fan_mail/new] During Nurses Week, there’s often a mix of emotions. Sometimes it feels validating and appreciated. Other times, it can feel like pizza parties and tote bags are being used to cover up very real struggles nurses face every day. In this episode of The Nurses' Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, Jenny talks about one of the most common things she’s hearing from nurses right now: > “I’m always behind and trying to catch up.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Jenny shares: *  Why so many nurses feel like they can never catch up  *  How burnout happens slowly over time  *  Why “it’ll get better soon” often doesn’t work  *  What reclaiming your evenings could actually look like  *  How burnout can feel even heavier when you truly love hospice work  *  Why intentional, personalized stress relief matters  Jenny also opens up about her own hospice burnout journey and how slowly the work she once loved began to feel overwhelming. If you’ve been charting late, struggling to disconnect from work, feeling exhausted, or wondering why nursing feels so much harder than it used to — this episode is for you. Reflection Question If you finished work on time, had your charting done, and could fully enjoy your evening… what would that change for you? Mentioned in This Episode *  The Hospice Nurses Wellbeing Project  *  Possible upcoming workshop: Reclaiming Your Evenings & Loving Your Work Again Connect with Jenny DM the word ENJOY to Instagram for more information about upcoming support and resources. Reminder Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s essential if we want to continue caring for others and living our best lives. If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com  Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide [https://www.jennylytle.com/guide] Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com  Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/ More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

79. Why Hospice Nurses Feel So Exhausted (It’s Not Just the Workload)

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300872/fan_mail/new] Are you a hospice nurse feeling more exhausted than your workload alone can explain? In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom, Jenny Lytle, RN, explores emotional exhaustion in hospice nursing—and why it’s not just about caseload, charting, or long shifts. You’ll learn: *  Why hospice nurses carry more than they realize  *  How emotional experiences build up throughout the day  *  A simple 30-second awareness practice to help release stress  If you’re experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, or emotional overload, this episode offers validation and a practical starting point for self-care. 🔗 Get the companion reset practice: https://jennylytle.com/newsletter [https://jennylytle.com/newsletter] If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com  Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide [https://www.jennylytle.com/guide] Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com  Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/ More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

78. I Didn’t Plan This Pause… But It Changed Everything

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300872/fan_mail/new] After an unexpected injury and a couple of months away from the podcast, I’m finally back — and this pause brought more clarity than I ever expected. In this episode, I’m sharing what happened, what this season taught me, and why The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN is shifting to focus more intentionally on the emotional realities of hospice nursing. After 20 years in hospice case management, on-call, and leadership roles, one thing has become increasingly clear: Hospice nurses carry a lot. Emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. This new season will center more on supporting hospice nurses through practical self-care tools, emotional resilience, and honest conversations about what this work really feels like. I’m also introducing The Hospice Nurse Well-Being Project and inviting hospice nurses to participate in Hospice Nurse Conversations — relaxed, confidential 20–30 minute conversations about the realities of this work. 💛 If you’re a hospice nurse and would like to share your story, you can sign up here: https://calendly.com/jennylytlern/hospice [https://calendly.com/jennylytlern/hospice] Next episode: Why hospice nurses carry so much — and why it’s not just about the workload Until next time, remember: Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s essential if we want to continue to care for others and live our best lives. If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com  Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide [https://www.jennylytle.com/guide] Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com  Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/ More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

77. When the Work Starts to Feel Heavier: Understanding Cumulative Emotional Weight

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300872/fan_mail/new] If the work feels heavier than it used to, you’re not failing — you’ve been carrying a lot. This episode explores the cumulative emotional weight of caregiving and why it adds up over time. You’re not weak for feeling it. You’re human. Over time, caregiving work leaves a mark. Not from one shift, one patient, or one hard conversation — but from everything that accumulates along the way. In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse and stress-relief coach Jenny Lytle talks about the cumulative emotional weight of caregiving work and how it quietly builds over the years. You’ll hear why feeling more tired, tender, numb, or emotionally full doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’ve been impacted by meaningful work that asks a lot of you. This episode offers validation, compassion, and permission to acknowledge what you’ve been carrying without needing to fix or unpack it all at once. In this episode, you’ll hear: How emotional weight accumulates over time in caregiving roles Why this weight doesn’t always show up as burnout What numbness, irritability, or disconnection can really mean Why needing support doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this work A gentler question to ask instead of “What’s wrong with me?” This episode is especially meaningful for nurses, hospice professionals, and caregivers who feel like the work has changed them — and want reassurance that they’re not alone in that experience. 🔑 Key Takeaways / Action Steps Feeling heavier over time doesn’t mean you’re failing Cumulative emotional weight is a normal response to meaningful work You don’t have to process everything to acknowledge it Support is not a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of impact You deserve spaces where the weight is understood If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com  Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide [https://www.jennylytle.com/guide] Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com  Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/ More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

76. Why You Can’t Just “Turn It Off” — And How to Transition After Work

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300872/fan_mail/new] Rest doesn’t just happen — it often needs a transition. In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse and stress-relief coach Jenny Lytle explains why going straight from a shift into the rest of your life can leave you feeling wired, tense, and unable to relax — and what actually helps. Instead of trying to “flip a switch,” this episode offers gentle, practical ways to help your nervous system shift out of nurse mode and into a softer, safer place. You’ll learn how small, intentional transitions make rest possible — without guilt, perfection, or rigid boundaries. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why caregivers often stay in work mode long after a shift ends * How skipping transitions keeps your nervous system on high alert * Simple pause points that help your body shift gears * Why physical cues matter more than willpower * How releasing responsibility makes rest more accessible This episode is especially helpful for nurses, hospice professionals, and caregivers who move from role to role without a break and want a kinder, more realistic way to unwind. Next episode preview: The cumulative emotional weight of caregiving work — and how it builds over time. 🔑 Key Takeaways / Action Steps * You don’t need rigid boundaries — you need transitions * Your body needs help shifting out of work mode * Small, repeatable cues are more effective than willpower * Releasing responsibility doesn’t mean abandoning others * Transitions are a practice — not something to perfect If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com  Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide [https://www.jennylytle.com/guide] Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com  Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/ More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle