1. As you consider the issues regarding fatigue and technology-mediated practice, what things occurred to you prior to reading these articles? Was this based on personal
experience, experiences of others you knew, or your own understanding of technology-mediated practice?
I feel like all the issues that these articles discuss are familiar to me. During the pandemic I was a receptionist at a veterinarian clinic. We had to completely change the way we served our clients. Not only did the process take so much longer, but we also felt disjointed and disconnected from our clients. Getting to speak with a doctor over an iPad simply wasn’t the same as being in the exam room in-person. Technology also opened the door to our staff being even MORE present, which means the demands on the veterinarian’s schedules were changing. This was incredibly tough on our staff, and I recall one vet saying, “I feel like now I can never take a minute. I’m too accessible!” I think that I also had some of these same experiences as a therapy client. My therapist was only seeing people via zoom. She was extremely busy, and we would frequently discuss how online therapy was different for all the people involved. During one session, my therapist expressed frustration that her computer volume wasn’t working correctly. She had to work extra hard to listen. She expressed how she felt even more exhausted after a day of online therapy because she felt like her body had to be more attentive in different areas. She was comfortable at home, but it was different than the comfort she felt in her office and face-to-face with a client.
2. In looking at the continuum from health to burnout in Hilty, et.al, Fig 2, which of the four areas resonated most with you? Why? How would you prevent moving from health to burnout in that area?
I think that the physical impact is what stands out to me the most. I currently work from home and spend much of my day on phone calls in front of a computer. I also attend school online which means I spend a lot of time hunched over a computer. I am currently having shoulder issues, headaches, back aches, and eye strain. I am extremely burnt out on my job and excited to graduate in the spring! I frequently think about how I would tackle this differently if I was working as a social worker remotely instead of a customer service representative. I would work more breaks into my day. I would stretch more as well as exercise more consistently on my days off. Having music on helps me relax more while I sit at my desk as well as having plenty of good snacks. I think that if I were seeing clients, I would make sure to take snack breaks and maybe zone out to some music when I could. I need to keep getting my eyes checked and adjust glasses as needed. Lastly, I would like to practice a lot of self-care! Massages are a must when you spend a lot of time at a computer.
3. In Table 2 of Hilty, et.al., they discuss the human factor related to tech fatigue. Select one issue in each of the four areas (tech and office, training, clinical care, human factors) and talk about how you might face that issue personally and how you would most likely address it to prevent tech fatigue.
Tech and office: I think that having a larger screen as well as multiple screens would address the issues that I have with my eye strain.
Training: I tend to feel more stressed out when something is wrong with my computer or if I don’t feel comfortable navigating the technology so something that would help me in that area would be current training as well as screenshots with step-by-step instructions.
Clinical care-Engagement feels like the most difficult task for a social worker to manage. I think that making sure I am stretching, washing my face with cold water, staying hydrated and fed will all help me avoid tech fatigue.
Human factors-I struggle a lot with errors and missed details when I am tired. I would want to take notes during sessions but also write what I can recall immediately. I think that maintaining a case load that doesn’t overwhelm me would be beneficial if working mainly online with clients.
4. When you read the opinions of the clinicians in the MacDonald article, which reactions resonated for you? Why? Do you see yourself engaging in remote, technology-mediated practice? Why or why not?
“Before working at home, I was waking up at 4:30 a.m. every day so that
I could get my workout in. Working from home, I am able to fit that in.
Like today, I went and took a run on my lunch break. Yeah, I’m able to
do that right, because I could come home and shower and be ready for
my 1pm appointment.” (Master’s Level Therapist 1, Kaiser Permanent Northwest)
This stands out to me because it is how I would practice if I were engaging in remote, technology-mediated practice. I would want to give myself breaks as well as have a set exercise routine. Personally, I don’t think I will engage in remote work besides when it is necessary. I have been working from home for about six years now and I enjoy having a division of work and private life. When I get off work now, I don’t feel like I am able to relax as much in my home because there isn’t any division. Atlanta traffic makes working from home positive, but ultimately, I like leaving my house and going to work. I don’t like how online works makes me feel physically. When I am in pain physically it makes me check out a little bit mentally as well. I don’t think remote work is a long term goal for me, but I appreciate that it can be another tool in the toolbox for clients.
5. Ratcliff provides a definition of burnout and also some suggested solutions for self care. What did you think of her definitions of burnout? Did they seem accurate in your experience? She mentions a number of studies and writings. Did you feel motivated to read any of them? Why? Have you ever taken the MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory)? Would you like to? Why?
I do agree with this definition as I have experienced burnout in my previous career as a veterinary office manager. I was juggling chronic stress related to animals, employees, and clients. I worked at the clinic for 15 years! Honestly, I didn’t feel motivated to read any of them because I feel so familiar with burnout at this point in my life. I could have used them a few years ago before I fully understood that what I was experiencing with the veterinarian job was burnout and not simply exhaustion. I haven’t take the burnout inventory, but much like the studies, I feel like I am so familiar with signs now that I wouldn’t let it happen to me again.
6. Did you think any of the suggestions Ratcliff provided were useful in preventing burnout? If not, why not? What other suggestions do you think she could have
included?
Absolutely! I thought that I had found my “forever” job in the vet world. If I had been more attentive to my self-care and understood what burnout was, maybe I would still be doing that job. I have a passion and love for social work, and I don’t want to destroy it for myself. I can take my own burnout experience and apply that to my career in social work so I don’t make that same mistake.
Hey LizP,
Great blog! I’m glad to see that you had the option to work from both home and the office. This is wonderful because, from my perspective, working a remote job gives me more time for myself. However, my concern is that if I were always at home, I might face issues of self-isolation, which could lead to problems different from burnout.
I do want to experience remote work because I believe it would help me complete my school assignments on time. Ultimately, the biggest challenge is prioritizing our well-being to avoid burnout from work.
Hi LizP
I agree with you 1000% on the remote work. If you would have asked me 2 months ago, I would have told you that remote work is the best thing since sliced bread and I should get a trophy for my revelation. I am proud to say that I am 2 months sober from that thought and won’t be changing my mind anytime soon. I’ve stated this in my post, but I would rather come home drained and tired from other people than be drained and tired of myself. It is one of the most lonesome things I’ve ever done. I actually crave being around people and just sitting in the presence of people..I don’t even have to speak.
Hey LizP,
First, congratulations on your upcoming graduation. I enjoyed your post. I too have had the experience of working in the office and working remotely. Yes, at times I feel that I am always accessible like the veternarian mentioned. Prior to the pandemic, no one would think of going to an employee’s house, however during the pandemic there was a sense of “checking in” and making sure that we had enough work. This was a violation of my privacy, was my first thought, and then I realized that not everyone has family members or friends who could check in on them during the pandemic, yet my agency made a way to check-in on everyone throughout the state. The pandemic really changed the way that we engage with one another in person and evenv virtually. I think that now we can all appreciate some face-to face time to avoid isolation and becoming anti-social or uninterested in workplace settings at this point.
Liz,
I am glad that you think about a job in social work where you don’t work remotely. I understand all of the positives – no commute, more flexibility, more access for clients – but we don’t talk enough about what we are losing when we don’t have in-person contact. And that isn’t just in the professional arena. We will be talking about that over the next couple of week.s
I remember when our vet changed to pets only during the pandemic. It wasn’t easy to make that transition for anyone. But then I guess there was a lot about that time that wasn’t easy.
I have made these comments to several of you, because I see the changes in our profession and the career’s many of you are considering. If you are thinking about clinical work, most of you are thinking about remote work in your own private practice. I would encourage all of you to think about working initially within an organization. I know that right now, many places where social workers have historically looked for work may not be hiring. And I understand that the idea of a remote practice seems enticing. But I am hoping that you can ground yourselves in the work of the profession (wherever and whatever aspects of that work you may choose) inside an organization with colleagues and supervisors. I believe it increases and strengthens your professional development and builds a social workers community. That, in my experience, is what prevents burnout and lots of other challenges of the work we do.
Not trying to get on a soap box – although I may have – but rather to get you to think about connections within organizations.
You did a nice job of this post and thanks for sharing your personal experiences. FYI, if you place your image in the featured image section – at the bottom of the right side in the post writing window – you will see “set featured image.”. When you click that you upload your image to the media library and then select it for your featured image. Then we all get to see it at the top of your post.
Dr P