The purpose of this paper is to discuss and reflect on my personal wellness in light of the results I scored in the Caring.com “Are You Heading for Caregiver Burnout?” self-test.
Are You Heading for Caregiver Burnout? Self-Test
My score for this test was: 37, Feverish (with an elevated burnout risk). The structure and assumptions behind this assessment involved answering 12 easy to understand questions which involved how well I sleep, my leisure activities, my temperament, concentration, bad habits, energy, outlook, relaxation, feelings of stress, and how others may see me. My results showed that I am probably managing my stress as a caregiver reasonably well, however, I am also descending into a caregiver trap which many professionals in my shoes have difficulty with: namely allowing myself to drop lower on the daily precedence list than is healthy for someone in my position. My results also showed that I could be heading for chronic stress.
Reflection
I cannot say that the results of this test have surprised me, as I have been feeling a substantial level of stress over the last few weeks, and a slightly less level of anxiety over the last few months. I have decided to treat this as a wake up call, as I do not want to jeopardize my health or my career. I am going to make a plan of action which I can start to implement right away.
Plan of Action
I have visited the Ministry of Coaching website, and have been very inspired by what I have read. I realize that if I take positive action I can ameliorate my situation, have excellent health, and help my patients who rely on me by having the necessary strength and fortitude to deal with all situations. I have decided to implement aspects of their “Priority Management” suggestions which involve: being able to clarify the things that are really necessary to achieve my desired personal and professional goals. This includes calendar management and time blocking. Therefore, I have decided to block time off to attend the gym twice every week. I also read Chapter 26 of the book by Bonnie M. Jennings entitled: Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions. It notes that: “work stress and burnout remain significant concerns in nursing, affecting both individuals and organizations” (Jennings, n.d.). This has made me realize that this is a global problem within my profession, and that if I follow a healthy lifestyle in regard to regular exercise and an optimum diet, I can stay on a good track in my mental and physical health. So I will now revise my diet and go for more wholegrain products and more fresh vegetables. I will also follow the “Five Quick Pick-Me-ups for Caregiver Stress” as suggested by the Caring.com website.
- Jennings, Bonnie, M. (N.d.). NCBI. “Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions.” Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2668/
- Ministry of Coaching (n.d.). “The Core Four.” http://www.ministrycoaching.org/about/the-core- four/
- Scott, Paula Spencer (n.d.). “Are You Heading for Caregiver Burnout?” Retrieved from https://www.caring.com/articles/caregiver-burnout-quiz
