I’m having a hard time getting up in the morning.” “I just don’t feel as excited as I used to about work.” “Maybe I’ll just call in sick today.” Do any of these statements sound like you? If so, you might be experiencing burnout, one of the biggest causes of staff turnover in the medical field. Think of burnout as stress turned all the way up to 11. In one study, 49 percent of RNs under the age of 30 and 40 percent of RNs over the age of 30 were actively experiencing some signs of burnout. That’s a lot of stressed caregivers.

Burnout doesn’t just suddenly appear – there’s a definite slow burn that can occur over a period of time. It sometimes feels like stress or anxiety, but it can also look like any of the following.

• Physical and/or emotional exhaustion: are you having a harder time sleeping? Feel tired all the time? How about losing your cool more often than you’re used to? Feeling more depressed? How about more anxious?
  
  
• Increased cynicism and detachment: do you feel more negative about your job? Maybe you’re finding it less enjoyable than it used to be. Perhaps you’re beating yourself up more often? Or maybe you’re feeling distant from your coworkers or the people in your care.
  
• Feeling less effective at work: Do you feel like you’re not as efficient or productive as you used to be? Maybe you’re losing track of things and becoming more distractible. Do you just feel like you’re having a hard time making progress?

There are a lot of things that can increase these feelings. Some work environments feel chaotic and disorganized, leading to unclear job expectations or problems communicating with the rest of your team. For some, a lack of feeling like you’re in control of your job or the outcomes – a sense that you’re just “going through the motions” – can result in wondering whether your job even matters.  Limited support, both at work and at home, can lead to increased stress and burnout. Finally, struggling to find a balance between work and your personal life can lead to you bringing your work stress home with no relief.

Fortunately, there are things we can do to manage work-related stress, and they’re just general good tips for managing stress overall.

1. Don’t overlook the small stuff – focus on getting good sleep and eating right. Neglecting your physical health will make managing your emotional health that much more difficult. Plus, a good night’s sleep is often the recharge we need to get started the next day.
   
   
2. Have some self-compassion – feeling overwhelmed with work doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re overwhelmed. Recognizing that this is your body’s natural response to elevated and prolonged stress can help you manage it sooner.
   
   
3. Get organized – we’re not built to multitask, but work demands that we’re constantly juggling several things at once. Make sure your work space is free of clutter, jot down your tasks for the day, and prioritize things that need to get done. This can help reduce some of the chaos at work and help you feel more in control.
   
   
4. Use your team – you’re probably not going through stress on your own, and you honestly don’t have to. Talking with others can help you build a support network at work that you can lean on when you feel overwhelmed.
   
   
5. Get outside, even for just a few minutes – fresh air and sunlight can improve your mood and help you relax. Sometimes, we need a halftime away from the office.
   
   
6. Use your breaks – it can be tempting to use breaks to catch up on work, but working through your timeouts can keep you stressed longer.
   
   
7. Prioritize yourself – often when we’re feeling stressed out, we stop doing the things we used to do to relax. Exercise, reading, music, spending time with friends and family; whatever helps you relax, make sure you’re allocating time for these things, too. Don’t wait until you’re feeling better to get back to doing the things that make you feel better.

If you're having a difficult time managing stress and aren’t sure what to do about it, communicate with your health care team who can provide assistance.  Taking care of others means also taking care of yourself. Remember, you don’t have to go it alone!

The UT Employee Assistance Program is free and available to all UT Health San Antonio employees, their spouses and their dependents. Click here to learn more about the confidential services available to you through this program.

UT Health San Antonio’s primary care practices offer onsite behavioral health consultations to help all of their patients achieve physical and emotional health. Click here for more information.