Spotting Signs of Professional Burnout

By November 13, 2013Dental Construction Blog

primus dental solutions burnout - Spotting Signs of Professional BurnoutPrimus Dental Solutions is just that, a solution to your problem – whether it’s needing a bigger building or updating your style. I enjoy what I do building dental offices for professionals or redesigning their office space.

I often work with dentists as they are starting their profession or relocating or expanding. What all of these cases have in common is that it is during the exciting beginning of a new chapter in their professional lives. This is what makes the design and building process so enjoyable.

But professional burnout is a problem that many dentists face during their careers. And since I seek to be a solution for you, my clients, I wanted to share some of the important information about this.

What does it look like?

The symptoms of professional burnout will sound familiar because they are basically in line with depression and stress, but have a direct connection to job dissatisfaction.

  • Apathy

  • Emotional Exhaustion

  • Emptiness

  • Feeling Trapped

  • Frustration

  • Hopelessness

  • Lack of Desire

  • Unmotivated

Burnout is not Stress

Stress can cause burnout but they are not the same thing. The best way to describe it is that stress typically occurs when you feel like there is more than you can handle. Burnout, on the other hand, is when you feel there is not enough.

Burnout is a desire for more out of your life and profession. It’s a feeling that there must be something else out there for you, something better. That you haven’t done everything you planned to do or that you deserve more back for everything you’ve put in.

That last line is especially true of dental professionals. You dentists have my highest esteem. Watching so many of you build and rebuild your practices, putting in countless hours and monumental effort to provide a service you enjoy to your region – well it’s very inspiring.

Although,  I can see how difficult it can get if after a decade you haven’t been able to grow or expand or reach your goals.

Start a New Chapter

Primus Dental Design Work Burn - Spotting Signs of Professional BurnoutThere are many things you can do to overcome professional burnout

  • talk to a colleague or counselor

  • cut costs and streamline your practice (reduces overhead which reduces stress)

  • hire another assistant or an associate to share the load

  • change your schedule, increase your best times and cut out those weekly lulls

  • make sure you have rejuvenation time and use it wisely

  • leave your work at your work, and use your down time to rejuvenate

  • do anything that brings you happiness and makes you excited about your work

How About a Build or Remodel?

In our experience, we’ve found one way to start new and get out of the burnout doldrums is to change your professional space.

This can be as big as buying a piece of land and building a custom dental office in a new location. Or it can be as simple as painting the walls and getting new light fixtures.

Both of these and everything in between can have a huge impact on your practice and your mindset.

Call us today and see how we can help you bust out of your burnout!

~Jason

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