March 3, 2022
Burnout is real. We all go through it. The worst part about burnout is that it can creep into all aspects of your life, affecting your mood, productivity, and job satisfaction. Can you imagine not being excited about working with patients anymore? Well, it happens to the best of healthcare professionals, and it's not a good place to be in. That's why we want to share these burnout-combating strategies to help you rediscover the joy of doing the work you love.
But, to get there, you must first understand what burnout is and be able to identify it.
What Does Burnout Look Like?
There are many different causes of workplace burnout, such as
- Not getting credit for the work you're doing, even after putting in extra hours.
- Being unclear about your job description.
- Lack of support from your superiors.
- Dysfunctional work dynamics.
The Impact of Burnout In The Workplace
Regardless of the cause, your career is bound to suffer if you experience burnout. Here's why:
- You won't have the energy to tackle tasks to the best of your abilities.
- You probably won't deal with as much work as you used to when you started either.
- Burnout can lead to absenteeism.
- You're more likely to experience lower patient satisfaction.
- Errors will become more common.
Signs of Burnout
Do you feel unfulfilled, like something's missing, or your role lacks significance? Do you feel drained while doing your job? Does it feel like it's sucking the life out of you? Are you struggling to fall asleep? These are tell-tale signs that you may be going through burnout. Other signs of burnout in healthcare workers include:
- Difficulty focusing
- Not being happy about what you've achieved
- Impatience and irritability
- Skipping work too often
- Feeling the need to quit or take up another position
- Insomniaand other sleeping problems
- Frequent muscle tension
- Burnout can cause poor cardiovascular health
- It can even increase your risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- Weaken immunity
- Burnout can also give rise to feelings of sadness and anxiety.
Stages of Burnout
Burnout typically plays itself out in the following five stages:
First is the halcyon days
You're just starting and you're happy to get the ball rolling. You're highly motivated and excited to take on even the most demanding workloads. Energy levels are high, you're eager to take on new tasks, and you've set your mind on putting out the best work you possibly can. You're getting things done in record time, and you're giving it your all.
Next, you have the juggling act
Now you've made a good impression, you've proved you can get the job done, and now you're going through ups and downs. Some days you have energy, some days, you don't. Sometimes you work efficiently and sometimes you waste resources. On some days, you may even have sleep disturbances, and on others, you dose off without a problem.
After the juggling act, you start running on low
You begin showing a combination of signs indicating you may be burnt out, and it just keeps getting worse and worse. You're going to be extremely tired; you may start getting headaches, stomach problems, and other physical ailments. You're getting angry at co-workers, friends, and family more often. You're literally on the verge of a breakdown.
Now you've reached the breaking point
The pressure has gotten to you, you've unplugged from your personal life, and you're having mental challenges that won't stop. Work is frustrating you, and you're even thinking about it when your home. You begin to have more negative thoughts than positive ones and you have trouble fighting the urge to get away from it all.
Lastly, you're indifferent towards burnout
At this stage, you get so used to dealing with the signs that you don't even pay it much mind. Others may applaud you for your work ethic, not realizing just how miserable you are. You may be meeting deadlines and completing tasks, but at a seriously high cost.
Strategies on How to Avoid Burnout
Once you've identified that you're going through one or more stages of burnout, you'll want to make the following changes so that it doesn't get worse:
Give It Meaning
You need to ask yourself whether your job has a positive effect on your clients' lives. Once you realize the actual value of what you bring to the table, you'll develop a newfound sense of respect and excitement towards what you do. If you can't find a sense of purpose in what you do for a living, you'll have to find a way of developing it.
Get Your Blood Running
It would help if you had a physical outlet to vent out all pent-up tension and boost those endorphins. A great way to do this is to get an exercise regimen going. It doesn't have to be anything intense; something as simple as a morning walk will do. Use your lunch break to do some reps and try recruiting one of your co-workers as a gym partner for motivation.
Maximize Peak Hours
You need to figure out when you're at your best. During hours when you feel most energized, take the time to get the most important tasks of the day out of the way. Block everything out that isn't working and pay close attention to those pressing projects. As your energy starts to wane, you can attend to the more menial work. It would be best to work smart, not hard, which is the best way to achieve.
If you feel thinly spread out, lean on your team. Talk to a supervisor about your situation so you can find a solution that can help you get back on track.
Achieving Balance for a Healthier Life
So now you know how to identify burnout, the dangers of burnout, and how to deal with it. What's left now is for you to apply the tactics we've covered.
Prioritize your mental health and fight that burnout now so you can start enjoying your work life again. And make sure to wear comfortable, brightly colored scrubs to support your recovery. Remember, looking good means feeling good.