Raising Awareness: Discussing the Hidden Stressors Impacting Well-being in Healthcare

Key Points

1. Develop Awareness: Recognize that persistent stress, exhaustion, and disconnection may be signals that something deeper is affecting your well-being. Developing this awareness is the first step to inspire positive changes and begin your journey toward transformation.
2. Understand Common Struggles: Common challenges like self-valuation and high expectations, stigma around mental health, and lack of stress management education can hold you back. Identifying these struggles can help inspire action.
3. Shared Responsibility: Both healthcare leaders and professionals are required in creating a healthier work environment. Leaders must implement supportive policies, while individuals should focus on making self-care non-negotiable. Together, they share the responsibility for inspiring positive change and transforming well-being.

At Healing Breaths, we understand that addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that considers both individual and organizational factors. In this mini series, we’ll be exploring these issues from both perspectives. If you’re a healthcare leader interested in a discussion about how we can create supportive environments that promote well-being and reduce the probability of burnout within teams, click here (coming soon!).

Introduction

If you’re a healthcare professional, you might be feeling the weight of constant stress, growing exhaustion, or a disconnection from the work you once found fulfilling. These feelings can be confusing and difficult to understand, especially when they build gradually over time.

But it’s important to recognize that some of the things you’ve come to accept as part of the job might be signals that something needs to change. Struggling to sleep at night or consistently relying on a substance to unwind shouldn’t be your norm. Feeling disconnected from your family, unable to communicate with your loved ones, or starting your career with a passion for helping and healing others only to find yourself dreading going to work each day are signs that you deserve better. If you’re neglecting basic self-care, like drinking enough water or finding healthy ways to relax, it’s worth considering how these patterns are impacting your well-being. And if you’re encouraging patients to take care of themselves, you deserve to be able to do the same.

It’s easy to dismiss these experiences as just part of the job or a temporary rough patch, but when these feelings persist—or even intensify—it’s worth exploring what might be causing them. Many healthcare professionals have these experiences without realizing that they could be signs of something deeper: burnout. This struggle isn’t just personal—it can also ripple through the entire healthcare system, affecting team morale, patient care, and even leading to higher turnover rates.

In this article, we explore common causes of these feelings within the workplace and lay the groundwork for awareness as a foundation for taking positive action. If you’re interested in learning more about a framework for identifying effective well-being strategies and common approaches to overcoming burnout, please check out our companion article here.

Individual Causes of Burnout: Understanding Your Personal Struggles

If you’re a healthcare professional who may be experiencing burnout, it’s important to recognize that your struggles are not a reflection of your abilities or dedication. Burnout can stem from many issues inherent to healthcare as a field and to the way that it teaches us to view ourselves.

Of course, there are a large number of factors that contribute to burnout, both at the individual and the group level. We have highlighted several that, from our experience in working with 50+ healthcare institutions to reduce staff anxiety, burnout, and attrition, tend to be the most common:

1. Self-Valuation and Personal Expectations:
   As a healthcare professional, you might set exceedingly high standards for yourself and struggle with self-compassion. The fear of making mistakes or not living up to expectations can lead to feelings of inadequacy and overwhelm. It’s important to acknowledge when these excessive expectations might be contributing to your stress and exhaustion. The first step is becoming aware of this pattern in your life, even if it’s not always immediately apparent. To gain clarity, consider talking with family members or a trusted colleague who can offer you honest and supportive feedback. Their insights can help you better understand whether these expectations are impacting your well-being.
   Another common issue related to self-valuation is the tendency to blame yourself instead of recognizing that systemic failures may be at play. It’s important to understand that it’s often the system, not your own capabilities, that contributes to feelings of inadequacy and exhaustion. Moreover, the relentless pace of healthcare—where you might work 80+ hour weeks or back-to-back shifts—ignores the fact that humans need rest to function optimally. Continuing to work under such conditions is likely unsustainable and can severely impact your well-being and the quality of care you provide.
2. Stigma:
   However, self-valuation and personal expectations are just one piece of the puzzle. Another significant factor contributing to your stress is the stigma associated with mental health within the healthcare profession. Despite the growing awareness and conversation around mental health, you may fear that admitting to struggles with your mental well-being could lead to negative perceptions. This concern is not unfounded; there is often a fear that acknowledging mental health challenges might result in being viewed as less competent or capable by peers and superiors.
   This stigma can be particularly harmful, as it creates a barrier to seeking help when it is most needed. Your reluctance to reach out for support can exacerbate feelings of isolation and stress, making it more difficult to manage the intense pressures of the healthcare environment. This is not uncommon; other healthcare professionals often internalize this stigma, which can lead to a reluctance to seek help, further intensifying the cycle of stress and exhaustion (4).
   Moreover, the high-achievement culture within healthcare can compound this issue. You may be accustomed to being the one others rely on, making it difficult to admit when you need help. This can be especially true when colleagues seem to be managing well, creating a false perception that everyone else is coping just fine. The fear of being perceived as failing or not measuring up to the high standards of the profession can make it incredibly challenging to reach out for support. This combination of internal and external pressures can significantly contribute to the cycle of stress and exhaustion, emphasizing the need for a shift in how mental health is perceived and addressed within the healthcare field.
3. COVID-19 Pandemic Backlog and Increasing Patient Complexity:
   The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the healthcare system, leading to significant backlogs in patient care that continue to challenge healthcare professionals. As a healthcare provider, you may be feeling the pressure of an overwhelming influx of patients, many of whom have delayed treatment due to the pandemic. This backlog, as reported by the World Health Organization, has created a demanding and relentless work environment where the complexity and urgency of cases are higher than ever (8). Patients are presenting with more advanced stages of illness, requiring more intensive care and decision-making. This increased complexity can heighten your stress levels, contributing to feelings of burnout as you strive to provide the best care possible under challenging circumstances.
   Additionally, many healthcare organizations are grappling with operational systems that were not designed to handle such a high influx of patients. This strain has not only stretched resources thin but has also reduced the amount of face-to-face time you can spend with each patient. The shift towards increased Electronic Health Records administrative tasks and the need to process a higher volume of cases can make it feel like you’re moving further away from the core of why you entered the profession—to connect with and care for your patients. This disconnect, coupled with the sheer volume of work, can exacerbate feelings of frustration and burnout, and may leave you feeling like you’re constantly playing catch-up rather than providing the quality care you aspire to deliver.
4. The Acceleration of Medical Knowledge:
   In addition to the growing complexity of patient care, the rate at which medical knowledge is expanding is another significant stressor. Today, medical knowledge doubles approximately every 73 days (9), a pace that can feel overwhelming as you work to stay current with the latest developments. The expectation to continuously update your knowledge, while managing a full patient load, can add to the sense of burnout. The pressure to not only keep up with but also apply this rapidly evolving information in clinical practice can make you feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up. Balancing the demands of patient care with the need for continuous learning requires both organizational support and personal strategies to manage the stress that comes with this constant influx of new information.
5. Lack of Stress Management Education:
   Needless to say, the conditions you face—high personal expectations, stigma around mental health, the increasing complexity of patient care, and the rapid expansion of medical knowledge—make stress very difficult to avoid in the healthcare profession. Without effective tools and techniques to manage this stress, it’s all too easy to become overwhelmed, ultimately leading to exhaustion and disengagement.
   Unfortunately, stress management is not typically emphasized in the mainstream curriculum for healthcare professionals. While your medical education likely focused on developing clinical and cognitive skills, the critical ability to manage stress was likely overlooked. This gap leaves many healthcare providers ill-equipped to cope with the intense and sustained pressures of their roles.
   Cognitive strategies, such as reframing challenges and adopting a growth mindset, can be helpful in managing stress. However, these methods may not be sufficient in the face of acute stressors that you regularly encounter. Acute stress management techniques, such as evidence-based breathing exercises like those offered by Healing Breaths, can be essential in helping you quickly regain composure and clarity in high-pressure situations.
   The ability to manage stress effectively should be viewed as a foundational skill for healthcare professionals—just as important as clinical competencies. Integrating stress management practices into your daily routine can not only help mitigate the effects of overwhelming stress but also enhance your overall well-being and ability to provide quality care. By prioritizing stress management, you can build resilience, maintain your mental health, and continue to thrive in your demanding and rewarding profession.
   While there are numerous factors that contribute to burnout, we hope these examples have helped to shed light on some of the potential challenges you may be facing. From that state of awareness, you can feel inspired to take action and ultimately bring about the transformation you deserve.
   To support you in your Wellbeing Journey, Healing Breaths provides a range of evidence-based tools and techniques designed to help reduce your body’s stress response and enhance your ability to self-regulate. These practices are specifically tailored to the needs of healthcare professionals, helping you find balance and resilience amidst the pressures of your work. If you’re interested in exploring these techniques, you can sign up for a FREE introductory webinar to get started on your path to better stress management and well-being.

Two Final Notes

1. Maintain a sense of hope and optimism:
   Maintaining a sense of hope and optimism plays a crucial role in your journey toward well-being. A positive mindset can be a powerful predictor of positive outcomes, helping to sustain your motivation and resilience through challenging times. It’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t have the time to focus on your own well-being. Hope and optimism, however, give you the courage to take that first step, no matter how small it might seem. Celebrate the small victories—whether it’s taking a moment to call a family member or simply pausing for a quick water break. These seemingly small actions are significant steps toward improving your workplace well-being. And, while it’s important to recognize the demands of your unique situation, it’s also important to remember that change is possible—even in small increments.
2. Recognize the Shared Responsibility:
   Effectively addressing burnout requires a combined effort from both healthcare leadership and individual professionals. Focusing solely on organizational strategies—like streamlining administrative tasks or promoting a culture of wellness—or relying only on individual resilience and stress management techniques won’t fully solve the problem. Leaders must create a supportive environment by implementing policies that encourage well-being, while you may need to engage in personal practices like mindfulness, self-care, and seeking support. Both parties share responsibility in reducing burnout.
   As you consistently make time for your transformation, you’ll likely notice a positive shift in your overall well-being. With time, your peers may even begin to recognize the changes in you, creating more space and support for these important practices in your daily routine.
   Enjoyed this article? Sign up for a free 30-minute introductory session to learn more about how the Healing Breaths SKY program can inspire transformation in your wellbeing journey.

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Conclusion

Recognizing the signs of burnout and understanding the underlying causes are critical first steps toward reclaiming your well-being as a healthcare professional. The pressures of high personal expectations, the stigma around mental health, the complexities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid expansion of medical knowledge, and the lack of stress management education all contribute to the overwhelming burden that many in the healthcare field experience.

However, awareness is the foundation of change. By acknowledging these challenges, you empower yourself to take actionable steps toward a healthier, more balanced life. Burnout is not an insurmountable obstacle, but rather a signal that change is necessary—and possible. As you move forward, remember that you’re not alone in this journey. There are resources and strategies available to help you navigate this challenging terrain and emerge stronger, more resilient, and more fulfilled in your professional and personal life.

If you’re ready to explore practical approaches to managing burnout, consider reading our companion article, which outlines effective strategies that healthcare professionals have found valuable in their well-being journeys. Together, these insights and tools can guide you toward lasting transformation and a renewed sense of purpose in your work.

What step will you take today to start reclaiming your well-being?

Sources

The insights in this article are derived primarily from Healing Breaths’ experience serving healthcare institutions across the United States since early 2020. Further, they have been influenced heavily by the following articles by industry leaders and in some cases are cited in-text:

1. Shanafelt TD, Dyrbye LN, West CP. Addressing Physician Burnout: The Way Forward. JAMA. 2017;317(9):901-902. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0076.
2. Wallace JE, Lemaire JB, Ghali WA. Physician wellness: a missing quality indicator. The Lancet. 2009;374(9702):1714-1721. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61424-0.
3. West CP, Dyrbye LN, Shanafelt TD. Physician burnout: contributors, consequences and solutions. J Intern Med. 2018;283(6):516-529. doi:10.1111/joim.12752.
4. Knaak S, Mantler E, Szeto A. Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare: Barriers to access and care and evidence-based solutions. Healthc Manage Forum. 2017 Mar;30(2):111-116. doi: 10.1177/0840470416679413. Epub 2017 Feb 16. PMID: 28929889; PMCID: PMC5347358.
5. West CP, Dyrbye LN, Sinsky C, et al. Resilience and burnout among physicians and the general US working population. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e209385. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.9385.
6. Johnson J, Louch G, Dunning A, et al. Burnout mediates the association between depression and patient safety perceptions: A cross-sectional study in hospital nurses. J Adv Nurs. 2017;73(7):1667-1680. doi:10.1111/jan.13251.
7. Shanafelt TD, Noseworthy JH. Executive Leadership and Physician Well-being: Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout. Mayo Clin Proc. 2017;92(1):129-146. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.10.004.
8. World Health Organization. COVID-19 has caused major disruptions and backlogs in health care: new WHO study finds. Published July 20, 2022. Accessed [insert date of access]. https://www.who.int/azerbaijan/news/item/20-07-2022-covid-19-has-caused-major-disruptions-and-backlogs-in-health-care–new-who-study-finds.
9. Densen P. Challenges and opportunities facing medical education. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2011;122:48-58.
10. Williams ES, Manwell LB, Konrad TR, Linzer M. The relationship of organizational culture, stress, satisfaction, and burnout with physician-reported error and suboptimal patient care: Results from the MEMO Study. Health Care Manage Rev. 2007;32(3):203-212. doi:10.1097/01.HMR.0000281626.28363.59.
11. Shanafelt TD, Dyrbye LN, West CP. Addressing physician burnout: the way forward. JAMA. 2017;317(9):901-902. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0076.

70% of burnout cases are preventable with the right approach.

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