Show yourself some love this month!
February seemed like a good month to talk about taking good care of your mind, body and soul. Burnout is a real and growing risk, not just for OTs, but for all healthcare workers, and intentional care is one of the best strategies you can deploy to combat workplace burnout.
While the work of an OT is noble and beautiful, it is also hard and heartbreaking to walk alongside some of our patients. Paperwork is more complex, caseloads and productivity standards can be daunting, reimbursement strategies are ever-changing, and patient-focused care may seem like the last priority for your employer. All these stressors, if not managed, can lead to burnout.
Burnout is important to acknowledge and address proactivity because its impact ripples out across your life. Burnout impacts your mental and physical health, burnout impacts your patients and co-workers, and burnout is felt by your family and friends.
So how do you know if you are burned out? There are dozens of quizzes across the internet – burnout is a hot topic right now – but you can evaluate your own state of burnout by thinking, journaling or talking to your bestie about these 3 areas:
- Physical Symptoms: Are you constantly exhausted even after a good night’s sleep? Do you have physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches or gastro symptoms that aren’t explained by a health issue? Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you get sick with every cold and virus?
- Emotional Symptoms: Are you critical and pessimistic about work and coworkers? Do you feel isolated and disconnected from your work? Are you more easily annoyed or overwhelmed? Do you dread going to work? Have you lost your passion for OT? Do you doubt your abilities and the impact of what you do?
- Behavioral Symptoms: Are you making more mistakes? Do you struggle to complete tasks? Have you pulled away from coworkers, family or friends? Are you procrastinating or calling out sick more? Have you adopted unhealthy coping strategies like an increased use of alcohol or drugs?
If your answer, after considering the above questions, is yes, I am struggling with burnout, go back to the title of this blog: Love Yourself!
- Self-care: Evaluate what you are doing or not doing to take care of yourself. Try some time management techniques to be sure that you protect some time for yourself each day. Deliberately build some moments of joy back into your day. Carve out some time to practice gratitude, sing along to your favorite song, or give someone a compliment. Also create a self-care routine that supports you. Drink more water. Get more sunshine. Move your body in a way that you enjoy – yoga, dancing, hiking, swimming, or weightlifting. Find time for breathing in a deliberate way. Meditate before bedtime.
- Workplace: Brainstorm some ways your work could be improved. Can you delegate any tasks? There is typically an entire team around your patient –are you trying to do it all? Talk to your supervisor and ask their advice on coping with your workload and expectations. If you have ideas that could benefit the entire team, share them. You could also consider switching jobs – a new employer, a new setting, or a new patient focus may be an important move for you.
- Support: Seek support from a mental health profession through therapy, coaching, or peer support groups. The perspective and strategies you gain from therapy can be a game changer.
Approaching yourself with love, taking care of yourself, and putting your needs first can help protect you from burnout and support your impact as an occupational therapist. As you build supports for your mind, body and soul you will have more energy for the patients who count on you each day.
