BURNOUT

 Burnout is often related to prolonged stress and exhaustion related to work or caregiving responsibilities. It can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, reduced performance, irritability, and withdrawal from social interactions. With time the person’s work performance decreases and feels dissatisfied with work and personal life.

It took me a while to understand my symptoms are related to exhaustion and burnout. It is very profound, and it can’t be fixed with a good night's sleep or a relaxed weekend. This happened to me at the end of my registrar training. From the previous year, I had started preparing for the fellowship exams. This is when time was divided between work and night shifts and studying. The exams passed and I realized I had to re-write my research document. Another year went by with me sacrificing all my free time writing and doing corrections. On top of this, as my training time was coming to an end, I had to start struggling to find a job. It wasn’t a consultant job as my paperwork wasn’t done/ I ended up working in a level one hospital as a medical officer. I did not even have interns. I had no job satisfaction. I was there to pass the time and pass my master of medicine and get a salary. I was heavily pregnant at that time.

Maternity leave was also overwhelming. After a month I started assisting in theatre and doing locums to make ends meet. I finally started working as a consultant. I still felt overwhelmed with the new responsibilities and the workload. I hardly took 10 days of annual leave that year. This is the second year of working in the new hospital. I feel more relaxed. I have more job satisfaction.

The baby is about 17 months, she sleeps through and is more manageable to look after. I joined the local gym again. I took leave the first two weeks of January to recharge and relax. I have resumed the activities I enjoy such as reading, painting, going for walks, and little crochet projects. It took me a while to feel like myself and recover from work and study exhaustion.

Work-life balance is extremely important to reduce the risk of burnout. It is important to prioritize self–care, set boundaries to seek social support, and address any underlying issues leading to stress.



This is our obstetric unit, and we are all exhausted after our busy shift in Bara Hospital. 







 

 

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