How to Fix Nurse Burnout

Scroll to the bottom for a TL;DR!

Everyday, we dedicate our lives as nurses to helping others. This depletes us emotionally, physically, and mentally and may cause burnout.

Mayo Clinic defines burnout as a physical, emotional, and mental state of exhaustion combined with self-doubt and cynicism. When we feel burnt out, we feel stressed, tired, angry, and no longer value our work.

Burnout can also lead to low mood, depression, and lack of energy. It can cause forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and low self-esteem.

If not fixed, nurse burnout affects us personally and professionally. It affects our attitude towards life, relationships, and overall quality of life. From a professional angle, burnout may hinder job performance. Burnout can also change how we view our role, make us less empathetic towards patients, and even put patients in danger.

Do you feel physically ill, anxious, exhausted, and dread the thought of going for your shift every day? You may be experiencing burnout. This article will share tips on overcoming nurse burnout to become the best version of yourself once again.

Proven Strategies to Fix Nurse Burnout

Before we dive into this, a quick show of hands (yes, we know we can't see you, but play along) – how many of you have said, "If I could just find the OFF switch to my brain?" That's what we thought.

Many of us are on an endless quest to discover ways to soothe our ever-busy minds. Yet, those racing thoughts seem to overflow. And we can’t even stop when we clock out of work and try to get some sleep. We have trouble relaxing and dealing with worrying, overthinking, and more worrying.

We only seem to find ourselves going through the same nasty thoughts, reliving memories of past mistakes, imagining the worst-case scenarios, and again lying awake and wishing to turn off that brain switch.

Building Resilience Addressing Stress and Its Sources

Building inner resilience is one of the most remarkable ways to overcome nurse burnout. It is also the process of adapting in the face of tragedy, trauma, adversity, and threats. Resilience helps you bounce back from difficult experiences. But it does not mean that you won’t experience distress or difficulty. It helps us develop better behaviors, thoughts, and actions. So, we become better at facing what life throws at us.

Tools to pinpoint primary stress triggers

First, let’s identify the primary stress triggers we are all dealing with. Think of that time you were criticized at home. Or when your boss undervalues your work. These events have stressors that trigger you in more ways than you imagine.

Stressors may also blend with your environment. Nonetheless, they are still in the background, influencing everything you do or think about. Learning to pause and consider those stressors will take you off that reactive state.

Whenever you feel stressed, begin by paying attention to your feelings. How do your moods fluctuate? What is causing them? Think outside that event.

Being aware of these stressors will help you prepare for them. Still, you need to implement self-check-ins to find and act quickly at any time.

Seek out things that nurture your mind and soul.

Nurturing your mind and soul is important to build a resilient mind that stands the twists and turns of life. Be intentional about seeking out safe self-nurturing techniques. Such activities include:

• Taking walks
• Socializing with friends
• Reading
• Travel
• movie
• Crafts or hobbies (e.g. puzzles, woodworking, and more)
• Listening to or making music
• Exercise

Mental Fortitude Embracing Mindfulness and Serenity

Mindfulness is one of the most amazing tools to reduce burnout and stress levels. Burnout often pushes us into autopilot mode, and we become overwhelmed with worries, distractions, and everything else but the task.

Mindfulness pushes us to be in the moment. It drives you to check in with yourself. Mindfulness is all about moment-to-moment awareness of present events. But mindfulness does not need you to sit like a monk atop a mountain. In reality, mindfulness means remaining calm, relaxed, and collected.

When you are in the present, you avoid thinking of the past, worrying about the future, or getting distracted by the background noise in the present. This can help you make better split-second decisions as a nurse and give your full attention to the task.

Let’s talk about the different mindfulness activities you can do:

Breathing exercises

Your breath can be the grounding anchor to push you to be in the moment. So, the most straightforward mindfulness meditation technique, breathing exercises, demands that you stop everything you are doing and focus on your breath alone for one minute each hour. You can watch how you inhale and exhale and even make it slower, thereby taking deeper breaths.

Body scan

Lie on your back with your legs straight out on the floor and place your arms to the side with the insides of your palms facing up. Now, while taking deep and slow breaths, become aware of your toes and move your focus slowly until you reach every part of your body. A body scan can center you and clear your mind when your feeling overwhelmed and depleted.

Meditate while sitting

Sit back comfortably on a chair with your feet on the ground and your hands loosely around you. Now, while you breathe, focus on the breath that goes in and out of your body. Whenever any thoughts or physical sensation interrupts you, take note of those sensations, thoughts, or emotions as you can and gently lead your focus back to your breath.

Walking meditation

You can also meditate while walking. While you move outdoors, take note of your breath. Watch how it flows from your head to the soles of your feet.

Note the temperature, sights, and sounds around you. And keep track of what happens when thoughts and emotions disrupt that fluid meditation. Notice them and gently lead your focus back to the present moment.

Practice mindful eating

When you take your meal breaks, you can also use this opportunity to meditate. As you eat, keep note of the tastes, textures, smells, and flavors. Keep track of how the food makes you feel when you are satisfied and what happens when you get full.

There are many more mindfulness meditation techniques you can employ. And the reality is that the longer and more consistently you practice, the more beneficial it will be. When you implement mindfulness in your routines to combat stress triggers, you’ll see how it positively fights nurse burnout.

Setting the Stage Drawing Lines and Maintaining Them

One aspect of nursing we don’t talk about enough is how our work never seems to stop when we clock out. Due to the ever-present technology, we must deal with scheduling platforms, texting, social media, and administrative work that pulls us back to work, even at home. We must create boundaries to balance our work and personal lives better. One of the most important ways is learning to say no.

Start by setting stricter timelines about using the communication platforms that your employer uses or checking these platforms at specific times each day. You should also actively remain aware of your roles and reduce working beyond your capacity, or else you spread yourself too thin. Don't just say no. Stop those habits that muddy your boundaries, such as changing personal plans regularly to accommodate work, making unhealthy eating choices, skipping breaks during work, going home later, and neglecting your responsibilities at home in favor of work.

After your shift ends, leave all thoughts, worries, and feelings about work at work. Make time for friends and family, and do what you enjoy. Hence, be more deliberate about your relationships outside of work. All these will further reinforce your boundaries and lead to a more meaningful existence.

Body Talks: Sleep, Diet, and Physical Activity.

Caring for your physical well-being is equally crucial to fighting burnout. Stress eating, the lack of exercise, and never keeping active can also increase stress and make it harder to keep your body strong and emotions at ease.

Unearthing the sleep-wellness connection

Have you found that everything seems sunnier after a good night’s sleep? It's the magic of rest. Besides burnout and sleep deprivation, other problems include depression, anxiety, stress, and a weaker immune system.

Aim to have 7 hours of sleep every night in a sleep-friendly environment. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, check out our interview with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown. She and Tessi, Assemble co-founder, dig into everything related to sleep and nursing!

Eating for the mind: Nutrition and mental agility

After a long and hard day at work, it is tempting to make unhealthy eating choices because they are convenient. But, it's better to take care of your mental agility by feeding your brain premium fuel.

Focus on eating high-quality foods containing plenty of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. They will nourish your brain and protect it from oxidative stress. In contrast, eating a low-premium diet high in refined sugars harms the brain.

Keeping Active: Why Body Movement Matters

Undoubtedly, your day job is filled with much standing and walking around. But these aren’t stress-relieving activities but stress-causing ones. You also need to move your body in a way that gets your heart pumping positively. That positive stress on your heart also releases good hormones like endorphins to make you feel good, improving your mental and physical health.

Take the time outside work to do aerobic activities like walking or running in nature, jumping rope, or dancing. Any movement helps release endorphins; there is nothing better to lift your mood!

Daily Rituals Taking Moments and Building Support.

Your day job is already filled with fast-paced, mind-numbing, and tedious tasks. Building intentional rituals that can keep you mentally focused, motivated, and alert makes sense. Rituals refer to actions you do daily and consistently so that they become habits over weeks, months, and years. Even when you aren’t intentional about rituals, you still practice them. Think of how you watch your favorite television show simultaneously every week. So, whether we like it or not, we perform rituals. So, try to create rituals that can increase your sense of self and increase your feelings of joy and happiness.

Here are a few easy things you can add to your daily routine that can help chase away those feelings of burnout:

• Morning reflections
• Mindful breathing
• Stretching
• Weaving in periodic breaks
• Taking a sip of water
• Spending a few minutes gazing out of the window
• Adding a short walk at lunch and many more.

How to Avoid Nurse Burnout

Burnout can be overwhelming and crippling. But, it is also preventable if you can take the correct steps to overcome that chronic stressful state. Now, let’s talk about the different tips and tricks you can follow to avoid experiences of nurse burnout.

Recognition and Acceptance

The first step to dealing with the feelings of being burnt out is acknowledgment. For many of us, it can be hard to admit that we have a weakness or cannot keep up with work and life’s demands. It takes vulnerability, humility, and courage to face that you are feeling burnout. When we acknowledge, We can easily dig deeper into the heart of the problem and find the best ways to improve our well-being profoundly.

Seek Support

Every human needs a support system. Emotional support can help you deal with your workplace demands and the mental load of patient care. That’s why you build a sound support system at work, where you can vent your feelings. Consider speaking to your supervisor or colleagues.

Set Boundaries

Boundaries are vital to building a healthy work-life balance and preventing burnout. Learn how to say no when necessary, even when you’re afraid of disappointing your colleagues. Avoid stretching yourself too thin, and ensure you have adequate off-duty time.

Take Breaks

You need periodic disconnections from your work. This lets you relax, unwind, and recharge, topping up your emotional and physical reserves. Taking a break isn’t just about going on vacation. You also need short breaks during your shift to rejuvenate. Find a quiet place where you can sit for about 3 minutes every 1 hour and detach from the world.

Professional Counseling

As we said earlier, therapy is an excellent step for fighting burnout. However, it can also help prevent it from happening. A professional can provide a safe space to express your feelings. It can also help you build better habits and routines.

Prioritize Self-Care

Plan times and days of activities you enjoy doing outside of work. Whether reading, mindfulness, exercising, or spending time with loved ones, these are all great activities that focus on relaxing and recharging.

Diet and Sleep

You must prioritize your diet and sleep to prevent burnout. Aim for at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. A balanced diet focuses more on fruits, vegetables, and modest amounts of lean meat and dairy.

Delegate When Possible

You cannot do everything by yourself. Consider outsourcing tasks to others if you can do so at the office, delegate tasks, and focus on the most meaningful expressions of your job. Outside work, look for support services with activities such as menial chores to give yourself more breathing room.

Conclusion

While working tirelessly to cater to those in your care, you shouldn’t forget that you deserve thriving health. So, take charge of your well-being and those of your peers. Leverage tools like the Assemble platform to champion your well-being and those of your peers. There, you can leverage resources, tools, and the support of other nurses to work towards a balanced well-being. It is the ideal ecosystem that drives you to be the champion of change, not only for yourself but those around you.

When you take the responsibility to address your needs, you become stronger and more resilient, which in turn drives you to give the best possible care to your patients.

FAQ

1. How do nurses recover from burnout? Recovering from burnout as a nurse is possible. The first step is acknowledging the signs of burnout. Then, consider getting support from your colleagues and a professional therapist, making lifestyle changes, and practicing self-care. Joining support groups or transforming your bedroom are great tools to heal and rejuvenate.
2. What are the top 3 causes of nurse burnout? The top three causes of nurse burnout include staffing shortages, high workloads, and lack of control or autonomy in the workplace. This often leads to longer shifts, constant demand, and emotional and physical exhaustion, which affects nurses.
3. How do you mitigate burnout in nursing? Solving the problems of nurse burnout is a multi-faceted approach. The most critical steps are improving nurse-to-patient ratios, providing regular breaks, offering emotional support through counseling, and encouraging nurses to take their self-care seriously. When the work environment is more supportive, nurses feel more valued. In turn, it leads to meaningful work and eliminates nurse burnout.
4. How can hospitals help with nurse burnout? Hospitals should implement practices that prioritize supporting their nursing staff in all ways. This includes proper staffing levels, flexible scheduling, open communication channels, mental health-oriented facilities, fitness regimes, etc.

TL;DR

Nurse burnout is a significant issue characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of inefficacy, leading to diminished personal and professional well-being. To combat burnout, it's crucial to build resilience, identify stress triggers, nurture mental and emotional health through mindfulness, establish clear boundaries between work and personal life, prioritize physical well-being (sleep, diet, exercise), and incorporate daily rituals for self-care. Recognizing burnout, seeking support, setting boundaries, taking breaks, and possibly seeking professional counseling are essential steps in prevention. Prioritizing self-care, diet, sleep, and delegating tasks can also help prevent burnout. Utilizing platforms like Assemble can provide resources and support from fellow nurses, fostering a community that champions well-being and resilience in the nursing profession.