Let’s face it; we are all tired and stressed from the pandemic and the isolation, fear, and anxiety it has brought. That is particularly true among health care providers, who have often been on the frontlines addressing the crisis. I have heard so many people, across professions, speak of “burn-out” this year, but that has been an issue among health professionals for many years. The stress of long hours, critical situations, and the burdens of reporting have often left people feeling depleted.
In 2019, WHO recognized burn-out as an occupational syndrome, noting that it results from exposure to prolonged stress. They listed three factors indicating the condition – emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment.
Yet there are strategies to address the condition, from healthy eating and regular sleep patterns to yoga and cardiovascular exercise. Those, however, don’t always help with addressing systemic workplace issues. Over the years, many volunteers have shared with me that their HVO volunteer experience has helped them deal with professional burn-out. We decided to speak with several volunteers, from different specialties and at different points in their careers, to share their thoughts and advice. You can access the conversation here on HVO’s YouTube channel.
For those in the northern hemisphere, I hope the summer season will bring you some time to relax and rejuvenate. To those in the southern part of the world, I hope some of the strategies for burn-out will give you relief. HVO will be taking a break in August – so no Net Connection next month.
Please stay safe, and have hope that we can all emerge from the pandemic soon.
Sincerely,
Nancy