Over the past few years, individuals in the caregiving field, whether working for a health organization or caring for a family member at home, have been experiencing an alarming increase in feelings of high stress and burnout. This increase can have multiple factors, including lack of staffing, increase in clients, not enough downtime, and poor coping skills and work life balance.
A caregiver’s stress often stems from feeling responsible for the success or failure of those they support. When working within an organization, they may be dealing with a heavy and sometimes unmanageable workload, feeling the need to please everyone, from their clients and fellow workers, to their supervisor and the surrounding community. When these stress factors aren’t addressed and build up over time, the stress can lead to burnout, and overall poor mental and physical health.
Symptoms to Watch for in Yourself or Your Employees
Burnout and stress can often be conflated with each other, and while the two are related, they are also different. Stress is a common, natural response to external events in everyday life, and when managed in a healthy way, can be a good thing - increasing motivation and improving performance.
Burnout is typically caused by long-term stress that builds up overtime, often resulting in a change in attitude, energy, and motivation.
Signs of burnout are exhaustion, apathy, cynicism and often compassion fatigue. Stress can have similar symptoms, but they come and go depending on circumstances. Symptoms of stress vary from person to person, but often include irritation, frustration, and anxiety.
How Employers Can Help
What are some ways organizations like schools, mental health facilities, and other caregiving professions can support their employees to prevent burnout?
- Setting a standard for consistent, supportive supervision is important for those in helping professions.
- Encouraging and supporting reasonable workloads.
- Supporting the use of time off to recharge.
- Allowing for flexibility to promote a healthy work-life balance.
- Creating a positive environment where people enjoy coming to work and spending time with each other.
- Providing pertinent and effective training so staff feel competent and confident in their positions.
Building Your Resilience with True Self-Care
A great way to combat long-term stress and burnout is a good, solid self-care routine. The phrase “Self-Care” has become cliché in the past few years, a common image of a bubble bath or a shopping spree coming to mind. But true “self-care” is critical for good mental health and will help you deal with stress and burnout in a more effective way.
What is true “self-care”?
The trick to effective self-care is doing it regularly. There are hundreds of things that could be considered self-care, and what works for one may not work for another. Find what recharges you and supports you best. Here are some things that may help:
- Use your paid time off to do things that decrease stress and gives you something to look forward to. It doesn’t always need to be say a vacation, holiday, or family obligation – if you have the luxury, use a day (or more) to simply take care of yourself.
- If possible, schedule break times in your day to recharge your body and brain. Typically, you will return to your tasks more focused and motivated.
- Develop a ritual for ending the day so you can leave work at work. Can you say an affirmation as you walk out about how you did your best today and will leave it until tomorrow? How about an uplifting song or podcast in the car on your way home?
- Don’t take on too much in life or work – know your limits and express them.
- Use your weekends for rest instead of constantly being on the go.
- Keep a routine – wake up, go to bed, and eat at similar times each day. This helps regulate hormones and keep your body and brain calmer.
- Take care of your physical health. Research has proven countless times that exercise and healthy eating are important for good mental health and decreasing stress.
- Think about your thoughts – are you being kind to yourself or overly critical? How you think determines how you feel. Talk to yourself like you would a close friend.
- Limit your screen time, and avoid the trap of endlessly scrolling social media, especially before bed.
- Try something new! Expanding your hobbies and interests can decrease stress, improve mood and build new relationships. Set a goal to try one new thing each month. It can be something as small as trying a new food or restaurant or as big as taking a class or traveling to a new country.
- Be kind to others and practice gratitude daily. Focusing on what you are grateful for is a stressbuster.
- Get some sun, particularly in the morning between 7:00 and10:00 a.m. This can help to regulate hormones that improve sleep, energy and mood.
- If you have a stressful day, set a plan for something to look forward to that evening. This can be something simple, such as watching a show, walking your dog, playing with your children, or eating your favorite ice cream.
- Nurture your healthy relationships. Spending quality time with people you care about and enjoy being around decreases stress and improves mood.
This blog article was contributed by Shawna Croaker, Director of Community Based Services at Nexus-PATH Family Healing.
Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit mental health organization that restores hope for thousands of children and families who come to us for community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment. For over 50 years, our network of agencies has used innovative, personalized approaches to heal trauma, break cycles of harm, and reshape futures. We believe every child is worth it — and every family matters. Access more resources at nexusfamilyhealing.org/resources.
