When Burnout Comes a-Calling
🎼 I am calling yo-ooo-ooou…
“Allo, this is burnout calling. I’m here, are you there?”
Silliness, yes, I get that way when the going gets tough. We all have our own ways of coping with life’s stressful moments. But when our coping mechanisms fail, burnout comes creeping in. A year ago, I had maybe 50 subscribers when I posted When Burnout Comes for a Visit at the end of June 2024. So, now that there are a few more of you, I will re-post it.
School nurses are just as likely to experience burnout as any other nurse.
Now, I know a lot of nurses think, school nursing? Easy-peasy, it’s just band aids and boo-boos. But, no it is not. There is a lot more to school nursing than most people know. As we come to the end of another school year, these is a great time to do a figurative pulse and temperature check on yourself.
Everyone has times when sleep may be disturbed or life gets in the way of happiness, but how do you know what is causing your lethargy?
School nursing is a hard job. The lack of other nursing professionals, the demands on your time, the lack of support that can go hand-in-hand with the job are just some of the factors that might start the downward spiral. When it is accompanied by stresses at home as well, this becomes the toxic setup for burnout.
Knowing what to look for, understanding that burnout may manifest physically as well as emotionally is one step in recognizing you need to make some changes.
Signs to look for:
Are you experiencing more headaches, muscle tension or experiencing other physical ailments without an underlying medical condition.
Do you find yourself withdrawing, feeling blue or depressed, losing interest in activities or hobbies you typically enjoy.
Is it harder to concentrate, is your overall job performance suffering, are you losing your temper with co-workers or your family.
Are you neglecting yourself, not eating healthy meals, over or under eating.
These are all signs of burnout, along with chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, lack of energy, lack of motivation, just not caring about anything or anyone.
How does one recover from burnout?
By recharging the body.
You can help yourself out by focusing on things that you have control over, such as:
Improving your diet. Eat fresh, home prepared foods and stay away from over processed foods that have dubious nutritional value.
Get adequate exercise. Short bursts of exercise do you more good when starting out, rather than longer, complicated exercise programs. Starting out three to five days a week can be more sustainable for the busy person. Finding physical activities, you enjoy will also be more sustainable over the long term
Establish a regular sleep schedule, turn off the computer or put down the tablet or phone for at least an hour before bedtime. Consistent sleep routines daily, work better than chaotic sleep routines. Make sure where you sleep is a restful, calming, comfortable place.
Perhaps it is time to see a professional if there is any concern about signs of sleep apnea, like snoring.
Recharging your mind.
Mental exhaustion can be more debilitating than a general lack of sleep.
Deep breathing—in through the nose than purse your lips like blowing out a candle as you exhale.
Meditation may help. Explore the possibility for you. I taught childbirth classes and did guided meditation with parents. Then when I had young girls finding it hard to relax at the end of the day, I would do guided meditation with them.
Journaling is another activity I have used at various times in my life, especially when I am going through a rough patch.
Unplug from social media sites, reduce your screen time.
Go for walks in nature.
Establish daily routines that support your well-being.
Do not be afraid to reach out to a mental health counselor if you need support.
We all need to recharge our batteries at times, but sometimes we don’t give ourselves permission to do this. As nurses in a school, we feel for our charges and sometimes we get emotionally invested in our students. As moms (or dads) we are caring for our families, but it is essential to care for our own well-being in order to do our best for others.
There is no better time than the present to start taking care of yourself. What else are you doing today? Start creating safeguards to protect yourself from burnout.
A human, not an AI text generator, wrote this essay.
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