Carer burnout can be a dangerous reality for carers in our current society, with risks to both physical and mental health. Exhaustion, stress and even high blood pressure can be some of the results, and that’s why we at John Jasper Care take your working life seriously.
Often occurring over time, carer burnout can be an amalgamation of stresses which reach boiling point, rather than having one specific trigger. A 2020 study recently revealed that up to 73% of carers believe that the pressure of the job could lead to burnout.
Common physical symptoms may include headaches, fatigue, sleeping difficulties and nausea, whilst emotional symptoms include social withdrawal, low mood, anxiety and irritability.
We believe the following methods are important starting points to help manage your workload, in order to reduce stress, and avoid worker burnout.
1) Managing your time is an important tool, and involves sticking to a lightly structured timetable in order to fit in both your own personal and professional needs.
2) Practice self-care. Whether it’s practising mindfulness techniques, joining a yoga group, partaking in an exercise group, self-care can take many forms, and there is certainly no one-size fits all. Join in something regularly which helps to boost your mood and allow you to switch off – even if this is sitting down with a cuppa and a biscuit at a regular time!
3) Setting boundaries. Setting professional boundaries between yourself, your employer and your clients can help you to feel secure, giving you clarity in your work, and providing a structure to achieve every day.
