Work can be a significant source of stress for physicians, and burnout has become an epidemic because of this. Some stress in the workplace can be good, it keeps you focused and efficient and maintains motivation. But when stressors become excessive, it can start to have negative effects on your mind, body and mood. There are ways to reduce your stress at work, even if you feel like you have no control over your work environment (a major stressor in and of itself). Here are some simple changes you can make to combat you stress at work.
The first thing you want to do is make sure that you are comfortable at work. Where comfortable clothes and shoes. Evaluate your office chair – does sitting in it all day cause back ache or shoulder pains? Is your office quiet and cool? What are ways you could make it even more comfortable for yourself. People so often overlook this aspect of their job, but being comfortable can greatly reduce the baseline level of stress you feel at work. Consider adding some plants or something pretty to your office, or even diffusing nice smells. Anything that adds to your sense of calm.
You also want to make sure that you are well rested before you start your day. Maximizing your sleep is a major factor in combatting stress of all types, especially workplace stress. Try to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Got to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Stay away from screens before bed time, and make sure your bedroom is kept cool, dark and quiet. Try not to eat or drink immediately before bed, and especially stay away from caffeine and alcohol. Create a nighttime routine that you do every night to signal to your brain that it is time to start shutting down. Creating better sleep for yourself will greatly reduce your stress levels.
At work, make sure that you stay organized. Keep your office or work area clutter free and have systems for how different types of paperwork are handled. This will allow you to clearly see what the tasks are that you need to complete, and be more efficient in handling each one. Prioritize your tasks and take care of the high priority tasks first. For low priority tasks, see if there is a way you can delegate these to others or drop them all together. Don’t try to multitask, it actually makes you less efficient and results in lower quality work. Make sure that others in your office are aware of your organization techniques so they can help you maintain them. You will be amazed at how much time you can save when you can clearly see all the tasks you need to accomplish and know what order to tackle them in.
When it comes to office tasks, one of the biggest things you will need to work on is establishing boundaries. Don’t be afraid to say NO to a new job or task that would clearly overwhelm you. It is important to be clear about your role at work and what your job duties include. If you have to, consider meeting with superiors every so often to make sure you are all clear on your work responsibilities. If something falls outside of your job description, feel okay saying NO or at the very least asking for help. You are not superhuman and cannot do everything yourself. Practice delegating tasks to others whenever it makes sense to do so. If you are the boss at your workplace, make sure others are clear about their roles so that each work task has an owner. Putting systems into place to increase workflow will make everyone happier.
You will need to invest some time into creating good relationships with your colleagues. Poor work relationships are a major cause of stress for physicians. Be honest and direct with coworkers but always pleasant, and encourage them to do the same with you. Your coworkers can be a great source of support for you when things are more stressful, so these relationships are important. But there is always going to be those people that seem to bring conflict with them where ever they go. Try to avoid this conflict as much as possible. When you must interact with someone like this, be direct and keep the interaction as short as possible. Avoid workplace gossip as well. Conflict is a major source of stress, so avoid it when you can.
There are always going to be things at work that you cannot control. Loss of control is one of the number one source of stress in the workplace. Physicians are constantly being bombarded with new key metrics they need to meet, or new documentation practices they have to adopt. It can often feel like your entire job is out of your control. Whenever you can, implement your own systems to deal with new requirements. Practice having healthy responses to work stress, which may sometimes be the only thing you can control. When work is particularly stressful, take a break and go for a walk. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. Make sure you fuel your body with healthy food that will sustain you throughout the day. Practice positive thinking and daily gratitude to improve your mindset. Focus on what you CAN control, not on what you can’t.
One of the biggest work stressors for physicians is the long hours and time pressure that they experience at work. Always being pushed to see more patients, spend less time with each patient, and complete more administrative tasks along the way. This is probably the most difficult thing to deal with at work, and may be the hardest to change. Take a hard look at your patient schedule and see if there are ways to work in a couple of 15 minute breaks throughout your day. Use the time to get outside, go for a quick walk, or relax with a cup of tea. These brief periods of recharging can be very valuable. Also, avoid the trap of perfectionism. Remember that your work does not have to be perfect, you just have to do your best at that time. Done is always better than perfect.
When you go home at the end of the day, try not to take your work with you. This means putting aside thoughts of work as well. Make sure that you are present with your family and make a little time to do something for yourself. If you must chart at home, set aside a specific time and place for this when you know it will be addressed. Then focus on being mindful of what you are doing in the meantime. The more you can leave your work behind, the more time you will be able to spend recharging for the next day. Try to maintain some type of work-life balance, it will greatly decrease your work stress.
Some of the strategies above may seem to make relatively small changes when it feels like your work stress is completely overwhelming. But remember, even small reductions in stress will add up over time. Start with some of the easier things and build upon them. Just being aware of your own work stressors can give you additional ideas on how to reduce them. Reducing stress at work will spill over into all the other facets of your life as well. You will find yourself happier at home and better able to engage with your family and friends. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like there is nothing you can do. You never know, even these small changes could make all the difference.
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