With the new year here, everyone is back into the full swing of things and some are trying to get over the post-holiday blues. During this time, it is easy to get into a slump of just getting your shift done with no real enjoyment from it. Others may find that they have taken on way too many things that aren’t motivating to them making it difficult to find time for things you love.
Here are some quick and easy tips for how to avoid burnout and take time for what is important to you!
1. Exercise and eat healthy
When we are busy, the first thing to be put on the back burner is self-care. You cannot perform your best if you are drained or not taking care of yourself. Take a short time each day to move your body and fuel yourself right
2. Learn to say “no”
The old adage that you cannot give what you don’t have still rings true. It is important to only take on activities that are important and meaningful for you and to say no to projects that you find draining. There will always be people looking for help or tasks you feel you should be doing but saying no to some things gives you the time and energy to put into jobs that excite you.
3. Find support in your workplace
The people that you work with make a huge impact on you experience at work. One negative coworker can be the difference between loving your job and feeling frustrated regularly. Find a clinic that has a supportive culture and makes you excited to go into work with those people. Making friends at work can help to build your support system and make your job less draining and to build you up when you are feeling down.
4. Be selective of what you spend your time on
It is easy to get excited about practicing when you are new to the profession and everything is a new experience and something to learn from. This leads a lot of people to take on any project that comes their way because they are so excited to be involved. Over time, this can lead to burn out if the projects are just taking your time and are not important to you. Find projects at work that fill your cup and get you excited about work
5. Take on projects that are important to you and fuel your passions
After a while, a job becomes repetitive and people often find themselves just meeting their required hours to receive a paycheck. While there is nothing wrong with this, seeking out projects, mentoring, continued education, community involvement, etc. can bring a new prospective to your work and make it more exciting to be a part of!
