Page 18 - DP Digital Sample

management section

FIVE STRATEGIES TO AVOID DENTAL BURNOUT

DENTAL PRACTICE TEAM

Stress is a normal human reaction that hap-
pens to everyone. In fact, the human body is
designed to experience stress and react to it.
When you experience changes or challenges
(stressors), your body produces physical and
mental responses. That’s stress.
Stress responses help your body adjust to
new situations. Stress can be positive, keep-
ing us alert, motivated and ready to avoid
danger. But stress becomes a problem when
stressors continue without relief or periods
of relaxation which can impair your mental,
emotional, and physical health and lead to
burnout.
Burnout in dentistry occurs when work-
related stress from day-to-day life becomes
overwhelming, causing you to feel exhaust-
ed and drained. Burnout is described as “a
state of chronic stress that leads to physical
and emotional exhaustion, cynicism,
detachment and feelings of ineffectiveness
and lack of accomplishment”.
According to one international study,
84% of dentists have reported feelings of
burnout. While other research may vary on
the exact percentages, the evidence clearly Here are some strategies to avoid hope. You can learn how to replace negative
indicates increased prevalence of burnout in burnout. thoughts with a positive mindset and
dental professionals. strengthen your ability to adapt better to
Everyday stresses come from interactions 1. Meditate - this is a powerful way to work and life demands.
with patients, co-workers, authorities and in become aware of our emotions and makes
particular this year with COVID-19. us realize that negative emotions are an inte- 4. Remain active - Even though you might
Common signs of burnout include lack of gral part of the emotional spectrum and are feel physically drained, it is important to
energy, disturbed sleep, feelings of negativi- not something to suppress, push aside or be stay active in your everyday life and inte-
ty, loss of motivation, reduced productivity, scared of. During meditation, we under- grate exercise into your routine. Focus on
anxiety and chronic tiredness. stand that negative feelings are no threat or variety by practicing different kinds of phys-
The first step is recognizing whether you danger to our well-being. ical activities! By doing so, you’ll reduce the
are suffering from burnout. Professional risk of getting bored and have more fun and
Quality of Life Scale (ProQol.org) is a sim- 2. Make Your Work Environment will stay motivated.
ple and effective self-assessment tool to give Empowering - The work environment
you a fair idea. where co-workers respect each other and 5. Avoid multitasking - Several studies have
2020 was a difficult year for most of us. feel a part of the team contributes to lower shown that high multitaskers experience
One lesson we’ve learned through this burnout levels. Encourage openness and greater problems focusing on important and
chaotic year of challenge is that, out of constructive communication patterns while complicated tasks, memory impairment,
necessity, many of us have strengthened and discouraging any non-productive commu- difficulty learning new material, and
become more resilient. nication and actions. increased stress levels.Focus on one task at a
Resilience represents our ability to adapt time.
well to stress and quickly bounce back after 3. Consult a professional - Mental health
life challenges. counseling can help us learn stress manage- As we enter the new year, after what has
Learning strategies for building resilience ment strategies, help with personal empow- been a difficult 2020 for all of us, let us try to
can help you prevent burnout, improve erment, overcome demoralization caused by foster hope, positivity and cheer and prepare
your wellbeing, and help you do well in life. social stigma and gives us much needed ourselves for a much better 2021.

18 Dental Practice // January-February 2021 // Vol 17 No 4