Running your own chiropractic practice, managing your health, taking care of your family – there’s a lot to balance in life! It seems that as a society, we are busier than ever before. Culturally, staying busy and pushing it over the top is the new norm. Most of us are burning the candle at both ends, leading us to completely burn out.
The effects of burnout can be damaging and lasting including stroke, heart disease, and cardiac arrest. As healthcare professionals, shouldn’t we make our own health a priority? Burnout is destroying our health and effecting how well we can provide care to our patients. With such big consequences, it’s hard to understand how burnout continues to be overlooked and ignored. Here are our tips to help avoid burnout in the new year (and all year long!).
Recognize the Signs
The signs of burnout often mimic other conditions or they seem like they are just a part of a busy life. Not everyone will experience burnout in the same way, but common triggers can include:
· Detachment – You may notice you are more apathetic or that you are unable to focus on the task in front of you. If you notice detachment creeping in. it’s time to take action.
· Exhaustion – You aren’t feeling tired at the end of the day – you’re weary. You feel the fatigue down to your bones. If you are excessively exhausted and unable to get your energy back up, you could be experiencing burnout.
· Illness – Burnout isn’t just an emotional reaction – it physically drags us down. Your immune system may become compromised and experience frequent illness.
Management
A large part of managing burnout is knowing how to prevent it. Once you understand and recognize the signs, you have to take matters into your own hands. Start with these three steps:
· Rest – The importance of rest cannot be stressed enough. Rest is vital to our health and is absolutely key to restoring health and beating burnout.
· Reduce – Most burnout is caused when you make yourself do too much in too little time. Reduce as many stressors as you can. Those extra hours at the office need to be brought down and delegate any extra tasks that you can.
· Refocus – Your time is valuables and its time to start treating it that way. Refocus your time and energy on things that matter and let the other things go. Release yourself from the stress of having to get everything done right now.
Burnout is a very real problem our society is currently facing. If you find yourself facing burnout, try some of these tips to get back on track. For more information about how ChiroDestiny can help you improve your practice and your life, click here for a free practice analysis.