It’s Monday morning, your alarm is buzzing, you roll over to turn it off, and you think to yourself, “Not another day of this.” If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing the same thing many people around the world are experiencing; burn-out.
The biggest factor leading your high level of anxiety and stress is due to the reality that we are at the one-year mark of this crazy pandemic. Seventy percent of the global workforce states that it has been the most stressful 12 months of their lives. It is especially traumatic if you are a working parent of children that need some, or all, virtual schooling.
The 2nd most tormenting situation is concern over aging parents or grandparents. Interestingly enough, 1/3 of workers state that the aggressive environment of politics has played a role in the feeling of burn-out.
All these points are not to spiral you further into your feelings of frustration and stress, yet to put a face and a name on the feeling. Further to explore methods that can help you deal with these deep feelings when you get triggered. The name is Covid fatigue! We are all tired of the social distancing, the lack of social activities, wearing a mask, playing the role of chef, teacher, housecleaner, and still maintain our careers in whatever constitutes as normal today. That’s the name - Covid fatigue; that’s the face - doing it all! Staring it in the face is the first step.
Coping with burn out can be a challenging feat. You may be thinking, “Where do I start? What is the best way to deal with it? Should I just book that ticket to Bora Bora and escape?” Although that sounds nice, there are more immediate and practical ways that you can deal with this extreme stress that you are feeling. My first recommendation is to take a deep breath… relax… and check out some of my tips on how to deal with burn-out.
1. Pinpoint the root of your burnout. As you go about your day, from morning to evening, try to identify what triggers your deepest feeling of burnout. Your burnout can come from things at home, work, or monotonous daily tasks. Once you identify it, you are then able to start taking steps to coping with your burnout.
2. Find Your Coping Mechanism/Release. When you are going through something stressful, what is the first thing you do?
Binge watch your favorite show?
Eat your favorite food?
Workout?
Cry?
Whatever it is, do it! Make sure you are doing it in moderation and it’s a fairly healthy way of coping. Everyone needs a good cry now and then, and right now the world is crying with you. Just don’t put yourself into a depressive state.
Instead, try going for a walk around your office building or neighborhood or treat yourself to your favorite food for that day. Engage in a hobby that you enjoy and brings you joy. Again, I will stress, do not overdo it because certain releases can turn into destructive behaviors.
3. Take a Break from Your Normal Responsibilities. Sometimes your daily tasks can cause you to burn out. Instead, take a break from your normal responsibilities for that day and ask someone to help you out instead. Even though you may not be able to find someone to help, the world won’t end if you take a break for a day. Taking that physical break of doing your normal duties can give you a mental break as well. If you like to keep busy, try doing another set of tasks that you normally don’t do. For example, if you are at work, ask a coworker if you could switch some tasks with them for the day, if you are both capable of doing each other’s tasks, and watch how it can improve your mood.
4. Talk to Someone You Trust. Pick up the phone and call your best friend, your parent(s), spouse/partner, or sibling. Talking to someone that you put your confidence in can help bring you peace and also give you a different perspective of your situation. Even though that person may not work in your industry or is in the personal situation you are in, having a new set of eyes on your situation can be beneficial. You never know what that person may suggest to you to help you with your burn out. Even if the conversation doesn’t give you a specific path about what to do, but it will give you a sense of relief of getting everything off your chest.
5. Check in on others. When you are at your lowest, checking in on another person, sends a feeling of giving, which immediately lifts a person’s spirits. You take a mind break from your own issues and focus on someone else. Many people are dealing with grief and loss, you can do something wonderful by calling with a simple hello.
6. Meditate. Silence is beautiful and taking some time to focus on personal reflection, spiritual reflection or even nothing, can give your brain the break it needs to face the responsibilities of your daily lists. You can start with a simple 5 minutes and build from there.
7. Take a break from Social Media. There is such vileness and hatred all around. This adds to the stress and anxiety that is the root cause of burn-out. You can make a formal announcement that you are taking a Facebook vacation. It will be liberating and give you time back to do what you enjoy.
Burn out is a real thing. We are all tired, stressed and frustrated. However, the people around us depend on us to be at our best. In order to do that, we need to determine what sends us down that negative hole and what brings us back or keeps us from falling in. The most important thing is for you to find what works best for you in your situation. By doing so, you will start taking steps to better your life and creating a happier atmosphere for yourself. Who knows, maybe that trip to Bora Bora may happen? Whatever it may be, your happiness is key.
Sylvie Haber, Consultant
Sylvie first entered the dental field through her mother, who is a dentist. She grew up attending conferences and many dental meetings. Watching her mother’s passion and love of dentistry, Sylvie grew to love the profession as well.
After, she earned her MBA in Healthcare Administration from Loma Linda University. She completed the ADA ‘s Executive Program in Dental Management and also became a Fellow of the American Association of Dental Office Management.
Sylvie enjoys seeing dental offices thrive, become more productive and run smoothly under her guidance through management and coaching.
Sylvie can be reached at: sylvie@gtsgurus.com