Welcome to the health and wellness blog for shift workers. Here you will find all kinds of different topics on living a happier, healthier life doing shift work. Sleep deprivation is often unavoidable, and many people have to work harder in today than ever before, so burnout is becoming increasingly common amongst employees around the world.
But can you reduce the effects of shift work burnout? Absolutely. And it all begins by watching for these symptoms, things like headaches, stomach aches, high blood pressure, back and neck pain and even skin rashes are among the top.
These symptoms are basically warning signs that your body is not at its optimum.
In fact, when you suffer from shift work burnout you become more susceptible to viruses and other infections, like colds and flus. You may even begin to feel disillusioned at work and loose enthusiasm to do things. Some people may even develop a negative attitude and become quite cynical which can lead to varying degrees of depression, so watch out for the signs in yourself and your coworkers.
Some people may even begin to question what you are doing and why – which can lead to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. You may even feel so frustrated and dissatisfied in your job that you begin to take more days off than usual. This may be a change in your personality which at worst, leads to aggressive behavior towards your friends and family.
So, there is no denying that shift workers are prone to burnout as sleep deprivation can be one of the major contributing factors. There are some things which you can do to help reduce the effects of this burnout:
My top Ten Tips to Help Reduce Shift Work Burnout:
1. Try to detach yourself and become less emotionally involved with things that are happening in the workplace.
2. Find ways to relax and recharge. Listen to some music, meditate or practice yoga.
3. Don’t try and be a martyr. You don’t always have to appear strong.
4. Have realistic expectations. Shift work is tough, so you have to accept that feelings of burnout is actually normal.
5. Try not to become too involved and take work problems home with you. Once you leave work turn off that imaginary “work” switch in your head.
6. Seek help – talk to family and friends. Just admitting that you are experiencing burnout can make you feel so much better.
7. Cut out the overtime. Working exceedingly long hours is the fastest way to shift work burnout.
8. Allow yourself time to enjoy yourself and have a good laugh. Treat yourself to some nice things for a change.
9. Be less intense at work – don’t take it seriously.
10. Book yourself for a checkup with your primary doctor. Just like your car needs servicing regularly – so does your body.
According to Harvard Business Review,
“Hard data on the prevalence of burnout is elusive since it’s not yet a clinical term separate from stress. Some researchers say that as few as 7% of professionals have been seriously impacted by burnout. But others have documented rates as high as 50% among medical residents and 85% among financial professionals”.
Researchers know that burnout is made up of three components that arises in response to chronic stressors during shift work —exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy.
Exhaustion- This is the main component of burnout. It’s comprised of physical, cognitive, and emotional fatigue that effects people’s ability to work effectively and to feel positive about the work that they are doing. This could stem from the demands of the job, organizational culture, or just simply having too much to do and little time to do it. In this state you might find yourself unable to concentrate on simple tasks, and see the big picture, and it becomes difficult to want to go to work or even stop working.
Cynicism – Another term people might use is depersonalize. This is basically a feeling of detachment from your work, coworkers, projects, assignments, etc. This could be the result of work overload, conflicts at work, being treated unfairly, and just a lack of interest in your job.
Inefficacy- This refers to feeling of a lack of interest, achievement, and/or productivity. Some people with burnout may feel that their skills are decreasing, and they will not be able to function in their current position and worry about losing their job or getting demoted. This often develops with the other two components. All three seem to go together or quickly arise after one another.
There are a number of steps you can take to combat burnout and the first step is selfcare! Make sure this is a priority focusing on physical, social, mental, and spiritual practices that you need for good health and to minimize the effects of burnout. Everyone feels exhausted but if it turns into cynicism, you know that is a sign, you’re headed down the wrong path because inefficacy comes next. Recognize the signs and recognize them early! Some other steps you can take is interpersonal connection, personal development, career development, and find a coach or mentor to help you identify positive relationships and learning opportunities.
I hope this helps.
Until next time. Take care,
Darren
Harmony Shift 