10 Ways to Re-Energize With a Power Break

Burnout among healthcare providers has reached an all-time high. This is also true among healthcare workers serving in support roles in medical offices. Several factors contribute to this national feeling of being ‘maxed out,’ with the main one, of course, being the current pandemic.

For healthcare providers, finding ways to cope and carving out time for self-care has never been more important.

The list of stressors only starts with the challenge of treating Covid-19 patients while trying to keep from contracting the disease. Medical office staff and physicians also face burdensome bureaucratic tasks of charting and paperwork, long work hours, adapting to changing computerization of their practices, and red tape insurance hassles, notes a 2020 report of physician burnout.

This risk of burnout is a real concern – but what can you do about it? There are small tweaks and additions to your daily life that can provide self-care to stave off burnout. According to that 2020 physician survey, exercise is one of the top effective ways that medical workers re-fill their cup, followed by socializing with family/friends, and sleep.

Not everyone can block off the next 8 hours for some restorative sleep. What if you’re feeling maxed out right now, but only have a few minutes to get your day back on track? This list of ten self-care tips and tricks can help you re-charge in the short-term. BioPlus likes to call these “Power Breaks.”

Power Breaks

1. Stop and take 10 slow, deep breaths. Consider setting your alarm as a reminder to do this several times each day.
2. After you wash your hands (for what is probably the millionth time today), take 30 seconds to slowly massage in a hand cream.
3. Drink a glass of water.
4. Stand up and stretch upwards, lengthening your spine while slowly exhaling.
5. Send a loved one a text to re-connect, even a short “xo.”
6. If you commute to work, switch things up by turning off the news and playing upbeat music instead.
7. Make a list of 5 things you are grateful for.
8. At the end of your workday, splash water on your face as a mental trigger to move on from the stress of work into the personal part of your day with a clean slate.
9. If you have a few minutes, don’t get sucked into social media – instead use the time for a short walk.
10. If you’re doing endless computer work, remember the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes of screen time, look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds.