HOW TO AVOID BURNOUT Dr. Ruth Benjamin Clinical Psychologist

WE HAVE ALL HEARD OF BURNOUT ESPECIALLY IN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IT MANIFESTS ITSELF AS A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION, LOSS OF COMMITMENT, DISENGAGEMENT FROM ONE’S WORK AND A GENERAL INEFFICIENCY IN ADAPTING TO THE UNIQUE DEMANDS OF ONE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THAT SURROUNDS THE DELIVERY OF HUMAN SERVICES.

A PERSON FEELS NO ENERGY OR INSPIRATION. HIS ENTHUSIASM IS REPLACED BY FEELINGS OF HOSTILITY, RESENTMENT, AND FRUSTRATION. HE FEELS USED UP AND AND UNABLE TO GIVE TO HIS FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS AND HIS WORK AND SEES NO WAY TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. HE BEGINS TO CUT HIMSELF OFF EMOTIONALLY.

HE FEELS THAT HE IS BEING SUCKED INTO A WHIRLPOOL HE IS ANXIOUS, IRRITABLE, DISCOURAGED, HOPELESS WITH NO ENTHUSIASM AND NO ENERGY TO GET OUT OF IT. HE IS IRRITABLE AND NERVOUS.

TO BURN OUT, YOU AT ONE TIME HAVE TO HAVE INSPIRED, ENTHUSIASTIC AND ‘ON FIRE’ IT IS THE MOST INSPIRED COMMITTED PERSON WHO OFTEN BECOMES BURNED OUT PERHAPS BECAUSE THEY PUT THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS AND EVERYTHING THEY HAVE INTO THEIR WORK

THERE HAS TO BE COMMITMENT AND ENTHUSIASM AND EXCELLENCE IN THE STANDARD OF WORK BUT THERE HAS TO BE A BALANCE AND AN AWARENESS THAT THERE ARE UPS AND DOWNS IN THE DEPT. ONE HAS TO EXPECT MUCH OF ONSELF BUT NOT THE IMPOSSIBLE. ONE HAS TO FULFILL ONE’S WORK REQUIREMENTS WELL BUT NOT EXPECT THE IMPOSSIBLE FROM THE PATIENTS OR THE DISEASE OR THE DEPARTMENT AND ITS STAFF.

IT IS NOT ACTUAL HARD WORK AND INSUFFICIENT SLEEP THAT IN AND OF THEMSELVES LEAD TO BURNOUT. SOME PEOPLE WORK EXTREMELY HARD WITH VERY LITTLE BREAK. HOWEVER IT IS THE PERCEPTION OF NOT COPING, OF NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE WORK LOAD. IT IS ALSO THE PERCEPTION THAT ONE IS NOT APPRECIATED BY THE OTHER STAFF NOR THE PATIENTS NOR THE DEPARTMENT NOR THEMSELVES. THERE IS UNSURMOUNTED PROLONGED OCCUPATIONAL STRESS

EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION AND BURNOUT. CAN COME IN ANY SITUATION WHERE THERE IS A HEAVY WORKLOAD, LACK OF APPRECIATION OR SUCCESS AND DIFFICULT WORKING OR WORKING OR LIVING CONDITIONS …ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE IS NO HOPE OF CHANGE -A TEACHER IN AN OVERLOADED CLASS, A MOTHER, ANY SITUATION WITH BACK BREAKING WORK WITH NO RESPITE OR APPRECIATION.

OVERCOMING BURNOUT REALISE THAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING BURNOUT MAKE A SERIOUS COMMITMENT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. TAKE ACTION TO BRING ABOUT REAL, POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE.

LOOK AT YOURSELF AND TAKE AN INVENTORY OF YOUR LIFE LOOK AT BOTH THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE BUT DON’T DWELL ON THE NEGATIVE AS MOST OF US DO.AS MUCH AS YOU NEED APPRECIATION FROM OTHERS YOU NEED APPRECIATION FROM YOURSELF AS WELL.

EVERYTHING MIGHT LOOK OVERWHELMING AND IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH BREAK EVERYTHING DOWN INTO MANAGEABLE BITS AT A MUSUEM THEY WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE HOW MUCH A BIRD EATS IN A YEAR. IT LOOKED IMPOSSIBLE FOR A BIRD TO EAT THAT BUT DAY BY DAY, MEALTIME BY MEALTIME, THE AVERAGE BIRD COPED VERY WELL.

COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS THIS IS VITAL IN COMBATTING BURNOUT. AS WE BURN OUT WE TEND TO WITHDRAW AND CUT OURSELVES OFF FROM OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. WE NEED THEM MORE THAN EVER NOW.

DEVELOP TRUST AND A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES AND OTHERS WE MUST MAKE FRIENDS WITH OURSELVES AND LEARN TO LOVE AND RESPECT OURSELVES IN A WAY THAT MAKES US ABLE TO LOVE AND RESPECT OTHERS.

TIME MANAGEMENT IS VITAL IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASSESS REALISTICALLY WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO IN A DAY AND NOT TO PUT IMPOSSIBLE PRESSURE ON YOURSELF

DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HOME AND WORK NEVER ALLOW YOURSELVES TO BECOME EXHAUSTED BY EITHER. BEGIN YOUR DAY TWICE, ONCE BY GOING TO WORK AND ONCE BY GOING HOME. BOTH ARE A NEW START.

DEVELOP A SENSE OF HUMOUR. LAUGH ! LAUGHTER IS A TRANQUILIZER WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS. CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE TO A POSITIVE ONE. LAUGH AT YOUR OWN BLUNDERS

TAKE TIME TO RELAX AND BE YOURSELF IT IS AS IMPORTANT TO RELAX AS TO INVOLVE OURSELVES WITH OUR WORK

ANYONE WHO KNOWS A TWO YEAR OLD KNOWS HOW IMPOSSIBLE AND MISERABLE THEY CAN BE WITHOUT SLEEP OR WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY. WE JUST CONTROL IT BETTER SLEEP WELL AND EAT WELL

WE ALL WORK HARD, VERY HARD WE NEED TO GIVE OUR BEST TO OUR WORK BUT NOT TO GET SWALLOWED UP BY IT. WE STILL NEED A GOOD SENSE OF SELF

A PERSON REACHES FOR THE STARS NOT WHEN HE IS PUSHED, PULLED OR PUNISHED BUT ONLY WHEN HE OR SHE IS INSPIRED