Healthcare is always stressful. Physicians, nurses and chiropractors are usually dealing with some level of illness or pain, have the trust of their patients and the responsibility to fulfill it and all the other documentation, complicated activities and compliance issues that must be met.
Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Though you are drained, you are still able to recover and the fall out beyond the circumstances is limited.
Burnout exhaustion of physical, mental or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration. It is a result of prolonged stress, the effects are more global and often sufferers are not able to recover independently.
How do you know when you’ve moved from normal stress to burnout?
Check in with yourself to see if you are experiencing these symptoms which were identified through use of the Maslach Burnout Inventory.
- Exhaustion – mental, physical and emotional, lack of interest and enthusiasm
- Depersonalization – feelings of sarcasm and cynicism toward patients (and others)
- Low sense of personal accomplishment – lack of efficacy, “what’s the use?” doubting the value (meaningfulness) of your work and your self-worth; spiritual questions related to your purpose
To begin your recovery from burnout, you can start with a simple practice of asking yourself, What Went Well? throughout your day when you have a moment or when you’re reviewing what you’ve done. Clearly identifying what has gone well, stating it and better yet, keeping a journal of 3 things each day that have gone well can shift your perspective to be more positive. Even very subtle upward shifts in positive emotions build consequential resources, consequential in that they make life itself feel more worthwhile and rewarding1.
To speed your progress toward a revitalized life, contact me.
Dina, 203.744.YOU3 (9683)
Revitalize Your Life
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1. Fredrickson, Barbara, Positive Psychology researcher at UNC
