Patient demands can take a mental, emotional and physical toll on your body, significantly impacting patient care. Over half of physicians in the U.S. experience healthcare provider burnout. Provider wellness is especially crucial during COVID-19. It’s important that you’re taking proper care of yourself to ensure you’re able to provide your patients with the best care possible!
How to Overcome Burnout
Providers deal with everyday burdens in their personal and professional lives, which can get overwhelming in a stressful and fast-paced environment. There are plenty of things you can do to mitigate stress and stay healthy so you can meet the needs of your patients and enjoy your time away from work. Overcoming burnout requires an intentional effort.
Here are some tips for preventing burnout in healthcare:
Adopt Coping Strategies
Facing life or death issues on a regular basis can be emotionally draining. Adopt positive coping strategies to help ease your response to stressful situations at home or in the field. Deep breathing, meditation, or even walks are highly effective, mindful techniques that can help release tension and reduce stress and anxiety.
Practice Healthy Habits
Introduce healthy habits and self-care to your daily routine that will translate into your medical practice. Practicing good self-care, physically and mentally, will help you build resilience in your personal and professional life. Maintain a balanced and nutritional diet, engage in regular exercise, and develop a restful sleep routine to ensure optimal performance.
Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is key to provider wellness. Without putting your own health first, you cannot help others maintain their health. It’s important to set boundaries between your work and personal life to ensure that you’re able to be mindful and present in both areas.
Create a realistic schedule for yourself that allows for personal time, take vacation time when you need it, limit your availability when you’re not on the clock, and hire out tasks that don’t require your expertise! Maintain your relationships inside and outside of the workplace. Having someone to talk about emotional distress and balancing your personal and professional challenges will help you battle burnout.
Therapy
As a provider, your mental and emotional health is so important for administering proper healthcare. Seek therapy or other professional mental health treatment if you’re suffering from burnout symptoms or related conditions, or simply if you need someone to talk to! A therapist or psychiatrist can help you process your feelings and regain your passion for your rewarding work.