The ability to cope and manage stress is a critical skill for your career.
Expectations from clients has increased. There seems to be more pressure. We are trying to do more every day. We lead very busy lives.
I am speaking to more veterinarians every day who are beginning to struggle and suffer from compassion fatigue and burnout. This isn’t just new or recent graduates who do find the first few years of practice stressful. It is the veterinarians who are reaching the peak of their career or beyond. They are talented, committed and highly experienced and usually with a Masters or Membership. They are exhausted, disengaged, frustrated and disillusioned with clients, their income and practice.
We promote preventative health for our patients yet we are reactive rather than proactive with our own health. My aim is for this to change. Otherwise we will lose our best and brightest who are the future leaders of the profession.
In coping with stress, you must pay attention to three areas:
- Determine what DEPLETES you: either do less of this but if that isn’t possible, improve your skills so that it doesn’t deplete you
- Find activities that REPLENISH you: do them on a consistent basis, either daily or weekly.
- STRENGTHEN you: build coping and resilience skills so when you experience times of high stress or adversity, you have reserves and are able to cope better.
In May, I spoke to the Gold Coast Vets about coping with stress. The next morning I recorded the slides as what I discussed needed to be made available to all team members.
START HERE:
1. Self awareness is a critical skill. Your strengths and weaknesses. Areas that accelerate your success and areas that limit it. First you need to be open to becoming self aware.
Watch the great video by Gary Vaynerchuk on Self Awareness: Click here
2. Coping With Stress:
Watch the presentation to determine what depletes you, what you need to do to replenish and strengthen you.
Please share this page with your team and colleagues.
3. In November, I spoke at the Brisbane Veterinary Practitioners Conference on Prevention of Burnout and Compassion Fatigue. Here is a copy of the notes:
Wilks, Natasha_BVP2015_Burnout & Compassion Fatigue: How to Protect Yourself
4. Book & Website Recommendations
Wellness & Positive Psychology
- Dr Martin Seligman: Flourish
- Dr Shawn Achor: The Happiness Advantage
- Dr John Ratey: Spark: How Exercise will improve the performance of your brain
- Dr Daniel Goleman: Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ
- Michelle Gielan: Broadcasting Happiness: The Science of Igniting and Sustaining Positive Change
- Tom Rath: Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements
- Carol Dweck: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
- Dr Martin Seligman: Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life
Stress Management
- Kelly McGonigal: The Upside Of Stress: Why stress is good for you
- Dr Steve Ilardi: The Depression Cure
- Dr David Posen: The Little Book of Stress Relief
Compassion Fatigue
- www.compassionfatigue.org
- ** Book: Overcoming Compassion Fatigue
- Book: When Helping Hurts: Compassion Fatigue in the Veterinary Profession
- ** Book: Compassion Fatigue in the Animal Care Community
Sign up to the free Success Strategies series at the bottom of the page where I discuss the 5 areas that are important for your career success.
Veterinarians who focus on their clinical and professional skills without paying attention to the other 4 areas limit their career success.
I work personally with individual vets via coaching, with teams via in house training and I speak at conferences.
You can find more information here: Coaching and/or Speaking/Training.
If you have any questions, please contact me on 0434 836 178 or by email: natasha@highperformancevets.com
Dr Natasha Wilks BVSc DipCoaching
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