I received an email from a Coach’s Corner viewer, and she had a question about burnout. I have been invited to give a presentation next month at the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM) conference on this subject since it is so timely. When it comes to the topic of burnout, there is a lot to unpack – a lot of factors are involved. For this Coach’s Corner, let me start this subject by comparing two things that I think are often used interchangeably. Some people use the words stress and burnout as if they are the same things; they are not. We need to understand the difference between the two so we can work on each area.
Stress and burnout are closely related, but there are key differences between the two. It is important to understand the differences since the strategies to deal with each one are different. Burnout results from unyielding stress that will not stop. That is not the same thing as too much stress.
With too much stress, you feel extreme pressure to urgently get things done. With so much pressure, you can feel nervous and have some anxiety. With overwhelming stress, you still believe you can get things under control and be completely focused on your tasks and then you will feel better. This will take all of your energy and lead to other physical symptoms.
Contrast that with burnout. You do not care to act quickly to get things under control; the urgency is no longer there. You feel exhausted, empty, and no motivation to get things done. Feeling hopeless is part of being burned out. It doesn’t matter what you do since it will never be enough.
If you feel you fall into the stress category, please take the necessary steps to prevent burnout. First is knowing the signs of burnout so you can avoid that and then learn the best way to manage your stress.
If you fall into the burnout category, please focus on reversing its effects and start to recover from it so you prevent any future issues.
There is so much more information I will share with you on the next Coach’s Corner. We have just started to scratch the surface on this subject.
Please contact me [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns. I will see you next month at The Coach’s Corner.