Feeling the pressure in your healthcare career? 😅 Take steps to manage stress on the job 😅

Working in the healthcare sector is very rewarding. You help people feel better!

But it can also be very stressful because you help people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Photo by Vladimir Fedotov on Unsplash

It's completely normal to feel stressed. You don't need to try to hide or eliminate the stress, but it's important to know how to use stress management techniques so you can stay healthy and provide the best care for your patients.

The first step in managing your stress is to recognize its signs! Common causes of stress in the healthcare sector include:

• Heavy workloads

• Time pressure

• Difficult conversations with patients or families

• Shift work and fatigue

• Fear of making mistakes

• Witnessing illness or emergencies

Everyone has different reactions to stress, but there are some common responses to stress:

Physical responses:

• Headaches

• Muscle tension

• Trouble sleeping

• Feeling tired

Emotional responses:

• Increased anxiety

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Difficulty concentrating

• Forgetting tasks

• Becoming less patient with others

There are some simple stress management techniques that you can easily incorporate while working!

Breathwork

Breathing is basic, yet very important when it comes to stress management! When we're stressed, sometimes we forget to breathe.

Box breathing helps you relax. It consists of 4 very simple steps:

• inhale

• hold your breath

• exhale

• hold your breath again

Use the video below to help you time out your breaths:

Self-Care

Just like breathing, we tend to forget our basic human needs when we're stressed, such as these:

• Stay hydrated.

• Eat regular meals.

• Move your body during breaks.

• Get enough sleep.

Maintain Routines

Use strategies to remind yourself to keep a healthy routine during your busy work schedule!

• Set an alarm on your phone, and set its name to the task you want to complete, such as "Drink water!"

• Find a "check-in buddy" to keep each other supported and motivated. You could set up regular check-in meetings to see if you're keeping up with the routines, or you can set a goal together!

• Make it easier for you to remember. If you had a protein bar in your pocket, you might be more likely to eat snacks during your break. You can also use a physical reminder, like a Post-it note.

Break Things Down

When you're stressed, you're more likely to feel overwhelmed by a task that you normally have no issue with. Or, you might be so busy with multiple tasks on your plate that you don't even know where to start!

When this happens, it's helpful to break down the tasks into smaller sub-tasks. It helps you find a starting point, and you can set small milestones to celebrate your achievements along the way!

Learn more about this stress management technique with this Byte.

It's helpful to have these stress management techniques up your sleeve, but it's also important to know when you should ask for external help. Everyone has a different level of tolerance to stress, but these are some common signs that you might want to consider asking for support:

• Stress isn't going away.

• You're constantly feeling emotionally exhausted.

• You're worried your stress is affecting your work performance, colleagues, or patients.

• You're unsure how to handle a situation.

Photo by Dixon John on Unsplash

When you recognize these signs of too much stress, there are different ways you can seek support:

• Talk to your supervisors or experienced coworkers/mentors.

• Check what your employee wellness program offers.

• Seek out external mental health professionals.

Katie is a new healthcare worker at a care home. She just finished school, and she's very excited about starting her career. She's been taking on lots of long overnight shifts.

One day, it's a particularly busy night at the emergency room, and she helped a really distressed young woman. The interaction left her very emotional and more stressed than usual.

Katie recognizes that it was a uniquely tough shift and she should take care of herself. What are some stress management techniques she can incorporate for when a situation like this happens again? Select all that apply:

A. Practice box breathing at home.

B. Plan a "wellness break" with her colleagues to take care of everyone's wellbeing on shift.

C. Forget about this event as soon as possible.

D. Write down the signs of stress she experienced when it happened.

You know how to identify your high stress level, how to manage your stress, and when to seek additional help — you're all set!