6 Ways Healthcare Workers Can Beat Burn-Out
TAKE IT OUT
Get your fears and frustrations off your chest. In a word, talk. Talk to your friends. Talk to your family. If needed, talk to a professional, or ask if your employer provides a therapist for employees who are going through a rough patch. Expressing your feelings will help you get to the route of your problem. There may be a deep-seeded issue that you aren’t aware of yet, and a licensed therapist can help you delve into the problems you are having.
Remember to talk to the right people. Patients and clients don’t need to hear that you are doubting your career choices, and co-workers don’t need to know that you can’t stand your boss. However, sharing generalized frustrations with your peers can be very helpful. Maybe your co-workers are experiencing similar feelings, or they may be able to give you advice if they have dealt with the same issues previously.
Bottling up your feelings only creates more pressure, and a healthcare worker under pressure is likely to explode.
RECHARGE AT A RETREAT
The growing acceptance of burnout in the healthcare industry has led to the development of numerous retreats and camps designed specifically for healthcare professionals. There are retreats for any and all healthcare workers, as well as get-aways only open to those holding certain titles. Typically located in relaxing rural settings, retreats encourage healthcare workers to recharge in the company of their peers. Many retreats feature fun activities such as rock-climbing, meditation, and horseback riding along with time to talk our your issues with professionals.
Retreats can last from one weekend to a number of weeks, so there is no need to stress about taking time off. If there isn’t a retreat in your area, consider starting one of your own with your co-workers. Not only will this give you a chance to get outdoors and relax, you will also bond with one another and strengthen your connection to the people who make your place of employment so great.
CREATE A STRESS-FREE ZONE
If taking time off work doesn’t fit in your busy schedule, consider creating a “Stress-Free Zone” at work. This can be an entire room or maybe just a corner of the cafeteria. Put up a sign declaring that area “Stress-Free” and add to the atmosphere by including fresh flowers, yummy food, or peaceful photographs. Anyone can visit the “Stress-Free” zone, but there is a catch: You are not allowed to stress out in the “Stress-Free Zone”! If an employee wants to vent, let them go somewhere else. You can vent anywhere, so make the “Stress-Free Zone” a place people want to come to relax.
Some places go as far as to create employee lounges with massage chairs, hot tea, and soft music. Employee happiness is becoming important to employers, knowing that job satisfaction relates to job performance, so even if your boss turns down the idea of personal massage chairs, he/she might be able to create a room for your “Stress-Free Zone.”
LEARN TO SAY NO
You got into healthcare because you have a passion to care for others, so you probably find it difficult to turn someone down when they ask for a favor, no matter how big. However, if you can’t say “No,” you are going to end up feeling burned out – fast. Be polite and honest when you tell someone “No.” A colleague may ask you to check in on a patient for them or swap shifts with you, but if you are already feeling overwhelmed, a extra task, even if it’s small, could push you over the edge. Tell your co-worker that you would, but you have a lot on your plate today. If your spouse asks you to pick up dinner on the way home after you’ve had an exhausting 12-hour shift, let him/her know that you are tired and really just need to get home – maybe he/she could have a pizza delivered?
Learning to say “No” at work at and at home isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean you aren’t a good person or that you don’t care. And we both know that you won’t decline every time.
DEVELOP A CAREER PLAN
Whether you have been in your job for 10 year or 10 months, it’s important to have a plan for where you are going. Are you looking to move up with the employer you already have? Or do your goals involve changing jobs in order to advance? These questions can stress anyone out, and if you aren’t sure what you want, you can easily get burned out by getting stuck in a job your aren’t thrilled about. Healthcare workers who feel trapped in their jobs often feel burnout at a greater rate than those who have goals of advancing.
Write out a career plan for yourself – this may involve getting certified, trying for a promotion, or going back to school to further your education. Having a plan will help your look forward to your future, especially if you are at a not-so-great job. If you are at a job you love, but you are beginning to feel burned out, a career plan can help you see what it is that made you love the job in the first place and give you a path toward advancement.
NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS
The stresses and strains of working in the healthcare industry can take their toll on even the strongest personality. From persistent patients to strict regulations, healthcare workers are constantly facing challenges both big and small, physical and emotional. At some point, it is more than likely that the pressures of your job will get to you and you will wonder, “Is it worth it?” Burnout can get the best of you, but only if you let it.
You may have a patient you see once a week, or once a month. Get to know him/her as a person and not just a client. Patients want to be treated like people and not numbers, so the effort you make will not only help you, but also make the patient feel good about their experience.
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