<p>The healthcare industry experienced the highest rates of workplace stress and burnout during the pandemic. With healthcare facilities receiving more patients than they could handle, workplace stress became common. <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/dealing-with-professional-burnout/">Professional bu</a><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/dealing-with-professional-burnout/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">r</a><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/dealing-with-professional-burnout/">nout</a> in healthcare settings is a result of feeling stressed or overwhelmed. <strong>Burnout can present in a variety of ways including:</strong></p>
<ul><li>Fatigue </li><li>Feeling rundown</li><li>Headaches</li><li>Little tolerance for pain</li><li>Insomnia</li><li>Pessimism</li><li>Demotivation</li><li>Reduced empathy </li><li>Detachment</li><li>Disregard for professional ethics </li></ul>
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<p>Feeling burnt out as a healthcare professional is understandable. It doesn’t mean that you no longer want to care for patients. It means that you need some time to restore yourself and fill your cup to safely deliver valuable patient care. </p>
<p>So, if you are feeling workplace stress and burnout, <strong>here are 5 tips to help you.</strong></p>
<h2>1. Set Boundaries </h2>
<p>For most people, burnout arises from taking on too much than they can handle. If this is you, then it’s time to set some boundaries so you can recover from overexertion. </p>
<p>Taking on too many responsibilities (common for healthcare workers during the pandemic) can be draining. Here are some steps to help you set firm boundaries to deal with the <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/healthcare-professionals-toxic-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress</a> of professional burnout:</p>
<ul><li>Take a moment to stop and breath</li><li>Evaluate the request being made to understand the full extent of the responsibility you will be taking on</li><li>Examine your schedule, time, and <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/mental-health-awareness-month-through-may-and-beyond/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental resources</a> to determine whether you can fully meet these responsibilities </li><li>Say no to duties that are outside your scope of work or when you already have enough to deal with </li></ul>
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<h2>2. Seek Support</h2>
<p>It is normal to feel alone when burnt out. However, it is a common thing that happens even to the most passionate healthcare providers. The key is learning when you need support to recover from your burnout, overwhelm, and <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/demotivation-overcome-mental-obstacles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">demotivation</a>.</p>
<p>Some workplaces provide employee support services that you can take advantage of. Through these services, you can talk to a trusted professional. They will help you identify ways you can deal with burnout, for example, by adjusting your schedule to achieve a better work-life balance. </p>
<p>Professional therapy is also an ideal solution to help develop self-understanding, self-compassion, and other skills that help you reduce the rates of burnout. </p>
<p>A professional therapist will help you evaluate the root causes of feeling overwhelmed. Understanding what causes burnout can help you avoid these causes or deal with them better in the future. </p>
<p>Some of the common causes of workplace stress and burnout include:</p>
<ul><li>An inability to control the decisions that affect your work</li><li>Dysfunctional workplace </li><li>Monotonous activities </li><li>Lack of support leading to feelings of isolation </li><li>Job taking too much of your time</li></ul>
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<h2>3. Exercise </h2>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="535" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/shutterstock_1962570967-1024x535.jpg" alt="lady exercising at home" class="wp-image-12982" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/shutterstock_1962570967-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/shutterstock_1962570967-300x157.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/shutterstock_1962570967-768x401.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/12/shutterstock_1962570967.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Cardiovascular exercise has been proven to increase wellbeing, reduce emotional exhaustion, and decrease psychological distress</figcaption></figure>
<p>Different studies have documented the success of exercise in reducing and preventing burnout. Experts recommend exercising outside in nature for maximum benefits. Exercise helps in a variety of ways:</p>
<ul><li>It improves your mental health </li><li>Reduces fatigue</li><li>Regularly improves cognitive function </li><li>Revitalizes the body</li><li>It helps reduce tension, confusion, anger, and depression, common feelings that may accompany burnout</li></ul>
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<p>In addition to exercising outside, cardiovascular exercise has been proven to increase wellbeing, reduce emotional exhaustion, and decrease psychological stress. </p>
<h2>4. Engage in Restorative Activities </h2>
<p>In addition to exercise, restorative activities are a great way to deal with workplace stress and burnout. Some of the beneficial activities you should engage in include:</p>
<ul><li>Get more sleep to help you recover</li><li>Yoga </li><li>Mindfulness meditation </li><li>Mindful breathing </li><li>Engage in self-care and self-compassion activities. These include massage therapy, a walk-in nature, music, or other movements that nourishes you. </li><li><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/writing-a-journal-can-help-you-cope-with-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Write down your feelings in your journal</a> </li><li>Eat healthy meals and hydrating </li><li>Reading </li></ul>
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<p>Therapeutic activities could also be the small things that bring you joy. The inability to engage in activities we love can feed into your exhaustion and burnout. Carve out time for your favorite hobbies to reverse this burnout, even if they do not bring you anything more than joy. </p>
<h2>5. Change Your Settings </h2>
<p>Dealing with burnout is not a straightforward process for the majority. However, it is still possible to recover from burnout and go back to enjoying your healthcare career. </p>
<p>You should examine the options you have and decide on the next step forward. While reviewing your options, here are some things to consider:</p>
<ul><li>What is causing your burnout? Once you understand what is causing your professional burnout, you can examine the options you have. </li><li>Talk to your employer about adjusting your schedule or workload</li><li>Start looking for options in other workplaces if your current employer is unwilling to provide a supportive environment. </li></ul>
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<p>Sometimes, professional burnout occurs due to feelings of career stagnation. In this case, the best action is to examine your <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/create-life-goals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">professional goals</a> or <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/comfort-zone-achieve-goals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">create some plans</a> if you haven’t. These goals can point you towards the right direction for instance:</p>
<ul><li>Pursue further education to work in a different role</li><li><a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/new-year-new-career-with-a-trueprofile-io-scholarship/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Change your career</a></li><li>Look for challenging opportunities locally or overseas </li></ul>
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<h2>Recovering from Workplace Stress And Burnout</h2>
<p>Recovering from burnout might seem impossible. While it can be a lengthy process, taking time to engage with yourself and take care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being can be a rewarding learning experience. It could help you explore your professional goals and help you determine the next step in your career. </p>
<p>If the next step for you is a total change of environment, you might consider the challenge of <a href="https://blog.trueprofile.io/find-healthcare-job-overseas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">working in an overseas country</a>. Working in healthcare overseas presents new opportunities to work with medical professionals from another part of the world. </p>
<p>To get started, <strong>browse our range of overseas healthcare jobs. </strong></p>
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