Plan and take your vacations, too.Įven if it doesn’t seem feasible to travel far away, any slight change of environment and scenery can be invigorating – even if only for a day or two. Don’t let this time get eaten up for other purposes and deprive yourself of much-needed time for you. You are given personal days at work for a reason. The American Psychological Association explains exercise "fuels the brain's stress buffers." Start your day with a jog before work, or unwind with a walk during breaks.Įven short stretches of physical activity throughout the week can add up to total recommended levels of exercise. Engage in Physical Activityīrisk physical activity can reduce stress hormones and increase resilience. This trauma puts you at high risk of compassion fatigue and calls for immediate action, such as taking a vacation or having an honest talk with your supervisor. Vicarious traumatization occurs when social workers are traumatized by the experiences of their clients – which can be debilitating and overwhelming. Social workers tend to "soak up" what their clients convey and share, and in many instances, this can be painful, troubling information. Are you preoccupied with this later on? Are you experiencing flashbacks related to the client situations? Don’t Be a Spongeĭuring interventions or interactions, watch how you respond to hearing clients recount traumatizing events. Any leisure activity that soothes you and makes you feel restored is an excellent self-care strategy. Social workers often prescribe creative pursuits like music, journaling and art to clients to reduce stress, and it can help practitioners, too. Make Time for Youĭo something creative to relieve stress and prevent burnout. Maintain your boundaries and don’t give in to pressures that, over time, could become the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Boundary issues are usually covered in ethics classes, continuing education courses and work-related retreats, but it bears repeating. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to prevent burnout is to maintain firm boundaries with clients, colleagues and even friends or family. When you eat healthily, stay hydrated, and get enough rest, you are less vulnerable to burnout. Good health is important for maintaining the rigorous schedule and demands of social work. A structured schedule is the best way to prevent burnout and to clearly identify when you work and when you have down time. Set Limitsĭon’t be afraid of setting limits related to your schedule, client needs, and even your family commitments. In response to social worker stress, it is important to pay attention to self-care and to take steps to avoid social worker burnout and compassion fatigue.īelow we will cover eight tips to help you keep stress in check: 1. Self-Care Tips for Dealing with Social Worker Burnout
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