The end of the year can feel like a whirlwind for anyone, but for healthcare travelers, it often comes with an extra layer of complexity. You’re balancing patient care, holiday schedules, potential winter weather, assignment transitions, and the emotional tug of being away from home during a season that’s all about connection.
That’s why this time of year is the perfect opportunity to pause and make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Whether you’re on assignment, between contracts, or gearing up for what’s next, here are end-of-year self-care tips designed specifically with healthcare travelers in mind.
Manage Holiday Expectations
One of the biggest stressors travelers face this time of year comes from expectations. Something you should remember is: you don’t have to do it all.
Start by being honest with yourself about what’s realistic. If you’re scheduled to work during the holidays, give yourself permission to let some traditions look different this year. Set boundaries with family and friends early so they know what to expect and so you avoid the guilt of trying to meet impossible standards. The holidays can still be meaningful even if they don’t look exactly the same every year.
If you’re working Christmas Day, New Year’s, or any other holiday, try shifting your celebration to another day that works for you and your loved ones. Many families are more flexible than we give them credit for, and even if they’re not, you can set the tone.
Celebrating “off-date” comes with perks, too. The cost of travel is often cheaper, there’s less stress, and you get to avoid the stereotypical holiday pressure. Plus, it frees you up to be fully present at work, knowing that your celebration is still coming.
Take Time for You
Healthcare travelers are helpers by nature. You pour into your patients, your coworkers, and sometimes your family back home. But this time of year is your reminder that you also deserve time to reset.
Here are simple but powerful ways to carve out time for yourself:
- Create small rituals: A morning walk, journaling, meditating, or listening to your favorite podcast.
- Reconnect: Tap back into things that make you feel like you. Reconnect with hobbies like reading or hiking and enjoy time with yourself.
- Try something seasonal: Visit holiday markets, look at lights, sip a festive drink, or explore local traditions in your assignment city.
- Schedule real rest: Block off days (or hours) where you intentionally do nothing. Your mind and body need it.
Even tiny moments of intentional self-care add up.
Reflect on Your Year
Travelers often move so quickly from one assignment to the next that they rarely pause to take in what they’ve accomplished. But the end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on things like, what did you learn this year, and what challenged you. Is there anything you did in the past year that you’re proud of?
Write it down. Celebrate it. You lived a year many people could never imagine or have only been able to dream of.
Take Care of Your Health
Travelers often put themselves last, which makes the end of the year a perfect time to check in on your physical and mental health. Take a moment to schedule any overdue appointments, like annual physicals or dental cleanings, and make sure your prescriptions are refilled before you start your next assignment. It’s also a good time to honestly assess your mental well-being and identify what support you may need moving forward. Whether it’s setting up regular therapy sessions, getting back into a fitness routine, or committing to more intentional movement, creating a plan now helps you start the new year feeling grounded, healthy, and ready for whatever comes next.
Travel with Ventura MedStaff
Being a healthcare traveler during the holiday season can be beautiful, emotional, and sometimes overwhelming. But with the right intentions and boundaries, you can make this time meaningful no matter where you are.
Give yourself grace. Set expectations that support your peace. Celebrate in your own way. And remember that taking care of yourself is the most important gift you’ll give anyone this year!
If you want to put yourself first and go on the adventure of a lifetime, talk to a recruiter today!
