What do you do if you're experiencing burnout in social work and need to find solutions?

If experiencing burnout in social work, prioritize self-care, set boundaries, and seek support from colleagues or supervisors. Reflect on workload and sources of stress, explore stress management techniques, and consider adjustments to workload or work-life balance to prevent burnout.

‘Social working’ is our MO, but we shouldn’t sacrifice our health and wellness for the sake of service. Burnout can be mentally exhausting and run good folks away from the field. It creates an environment where you hate what you do, and forget why you do it. This experience can present as a byproduct of loose, stringent, or non-existent boundaries. Boundaries are the rules and limitations that you set for yourself when engaging with the outside world. Taking your lunch, closing your door, refusing cases beyond policy limitations, and clocking out on time are a few examples. By setting realistic expectations, acknowledging your needs, and practicing self-care, you can restore your health, reignite passion for your work and build resilience.

Setting clear boundaries between work and personal life must be prioritized for social workers. Due to the nature of our work we can experience compassion fatigue and burnout easily if we don't take great care in setting the necessary boundaries to protect our mental and physical health. Examples of setting boundaries can include: - Communicate your boundaries: Let your colleagues and manager know your preferred work hours and when you check emails - Schedule breaks: Block out time in your calendar for personal commitments and stick to them - Silence notifications: Turn off work email notifications and chat messages on your phone outside of work hours - Be prepared to say no: Communicate when you don't have the bandwidth for new projects

In my experience, using my work and personal calendars have helped me create necessary boundaries and balance when working with people. When I am physically exhausted, I hibernate and get sleep. But before I get exhausted, I am creating boundaries like letting people know when I’m available and not available. I take breaks as needed to help me not burn out. I do use some flexibility at times but I keep my word and do not allow anyone to try to persuade me into doing something against my boundaries. Truth is I’m no use to anyone if I am mentally and physically exhausted. Therefore, I keep myself disciplined and balanced in boundaries.

One thing I've found helpful is taking planned extended time off to reassess my passion for what I love, take time travel, and engage in self-reflection and self-care, particularly if experiencing secondary (or vicarious) trauma after listening to extensive narratives of victimization. After 6 weeks, I felt refreshed, revived, & ready to jump back in the deep end.

The way to help combat burn out in social work is implementing a consistent self-care routine. This field is hard and we are constantly absorbing and hearing others struggles. Practicing self care strategies is the antidote to burnout. There are many things we ask our clients to do to care for themselves, but sometimes it can be hard to those same things for ourselves. Self-care can mean different things for different people and each of us has to discover what brings us joy and allows us to disconnect from our work and engage in something we truly enjoy. We need to recharge and replenish to be able to give the best care to others.

Getting self-care as a social worker is critical. Maintaining self-care as a personal practice is built into our social work ethics as a must-do. Here are some self-care strategies that social workers can implement to prevent burnout: - Maintain healthy habits: Get adequate sleep, nutritious meals & regular exercise to manage stress - Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work & personal life - Practice mindfulness: Meditation or deep breathing can help manage stress & promote emotional well-being - Seek support: Talk to colleagues and/or a therapist about challenging situations & emotions experienced at work - Engage in radical self-compassion: Acknowledge your limitations & prioritize activities that bring joy & relaxation

One thing I've found extremely helpful is keeping my National Association of Social Workers membership current yearly and I take advantage of the professional development that is included or offered for a lower cost during the annual NASW conferences. I also develop myself by attending other continuing education classes offered through social work programs by local universities or other local or regional social work CEU approved organizations. Lastly, I also read social work books, the latest peer reviewed research papers, and I listen to social work related podcasts and YouTube channels to stay up to date and motivated in my sphere of social work.