Before I started reading these articles, I wrote what fatigue looked like to me. The fatigue that I have experienced is physical. Having to be confined to a chair hunched over for a whole work shift can be straining on your body. I develop stye on my eyes due to straining my eyes. I have also developed severe neck and low back pain from sitting in chairs, hunched over watching computer screens. I also experience losing focus due to eye strain and constant staring at screens. This experience factored into my feeling of being burnt out. My understanding of technology mediated practice is the ability for practitioners to service clients through technology.
Hilty, et.al articles explain the progression of continuum from health to burnout. There are three stages of the continuum from health to burnout; Health indicators, fatigue indicators and burn out indicators. In my experience, I have resonated with all three. I have experience working “case management” technology mediated practice through DFCS. Where the technology mediated practice is documentation, implementing services, virtual meetings, etc. Some of my health indicators are clear plans to navigate caseloads, enthusiasm, and willingness to explain cases. Some fatigue indicators would be anxiety towards completing tasks, refusal to stop and take break because of fear being behind in work. Some burnout indicators are health decline/sickness, depression, no effort to complete task. The key to preventing movement towards burnout is identifying tools that will keep you healthy. Some tools that I use are exercise, breaks in work shift, high and low productivity days and utilizing mental health therapy.
Table 2 explains continuum from health to burnout in 4 areas: Technology/site, Clinical care, Routine/fitness, Attitude/outlook. To reduce fatigue in the area of Technology/ site I would seek training in technology to increase my competency. Also, I would identify my tech support so that I can call on them If I need anything. To reduce fatigue in clinical care I would conduct virtual meetings to communicate directives to reduce confusion between clinician and client. Also, I also recommend establishing boundaries with clients. To reduce fatigue in routine/fitness implement breaks and ergonomics and equipment setup. Making sure to take breaks for conscious breathing, obtaining comfortable chairs and adjusting computer screen for comfortability. To reduce fatigue in attitude/outlook, establish a self-care routine, write out affirmation and work goals.
MacDonald article explains that there are many benefits and boundaries to technology mediated practice. There is not boundaries to me working from home because I am a single woman with no household members. The practitioner that resonated with, was the one that stated that technology mediated practice assisted with allowing more personal time for sleep and exercise by removing commute time. I am already using technology mediated times a week. My agency implemented this to reduce burnout. We don’t do any field work on this day, and we are able to document and schedule virtual meetings. Even if I didn’t work for DFCS I would still use technology mediated practice because it is with human contact and spread of airborne disease and client availability.
Ratcliff definition of Burnout is defined as a psychological condition that results from chronic stress related to working with people. I do think this is a correct definition, but it is very vague. It should include the physical and emotional conditions as well. It seems accurate to my experience of burnout. However, the chronic stress related to it played major role in my physical condition. I didn’t feel motivated to read studies related to burnout due to having my own understanding and experience of it. I have not completed a MBI yet, But I would love to do one. I think it would be good in tracking the continuum of health to burn out. Sometimes trigger indicators can seem like burnout indicators and the MBI will be very useful in deciphering what level you’re at.
Ratcliff suggestion of using Yoga for burnout is great. Yoga is an exercise that can heal mental, physical and emotional conditions. One suggestion that I would suggest is finding a mentor or co-worker that can under what you’re going through in your role. Venting to people that understand role and responsibilities is helpful.
References
Ratcliff, M. (2024). Social workers, burnout, and self-care: A public health issue. Delaware Journal of Public Health, 10(1), 26-29. https://doi.org/10.32481/djph.2024.03.05
MacDonald, L. M.-H. (2022). Impact of working from home on addressing practitioner burnout and work–life balance in mental health. The Permanente Journal, 26(2), 77–82. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/21.186
Hilty, D. M., Groshong, L. W., Coleman, M., Maheu, M. M., Armstrong, C. M., Smout, S. A., Crawford, A., Drude, K. P., & Krupinski, E. A. (2023). Best practices for technology in clinical social work and mental health professions to promote well-being and prevent fatigue. Clinical Social Work Journal, 51(3), 211–245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-023-00865-3
Hi! I really enjoyed your reflection on burnout because it made me think about how much of it results from the pressure we put on ourselves to keep up with constant demands. For me, one of the hardest parts of balancing technology-mediated work is learning to slow down when everything feels urgent. I’ve noticed that when I give myself permission to pause instead of pushing through, I’m actually more productive and focused afterward. I also appreciated that you brought up mentorship, as it made me realize the importance of connections in this field.
Hey! I really connected with your reflection because I’ve experienced a lot of the same physical and emotional fatigue from long hours behind a screen. It’s so true how sitting for extended periods and constantly staring at a computer can take a toll not just physically, but mentally too. I like how you broke down the stages from health to burnout .. it made me think about how easily we can slide from one stage to the next without realizing it.
I also agree with your point about creating boundaries and taking breaks. It’s something that sounds simple but can be so hard to actually do, especially when you feel pressure to keep up with work. Your mention of yoga and mentorship stood out to me because having someone to talk to who understands your workload can make a big difference. I’ve found that stepping away from the screen and taking even a 10-minute walk or stretch can reset my focus.
Overall, I think your insights show how self-awareness and proactive habits, like exercise and mental health support, are key to staying balanced in technology-mediated practice. It’s a great reminder that caring for our bodies and minds is just as important as the work we do for others.
Hey 🙂 I really felt what you said about the physical side of fatigue. Sitting for long periods definitely takes a toll. I’ve had that same neck and back pain after long shifts, and the eye strain is real. A lot of people only focus on the mental side of burnout, so I liked how you highlighted the physical part too. The part about refusing to take breaks out of fear of falling behind really stuck with me because I’ve been there. It’s such an easy habit to fall into. I also liked how you tied the indicators to your real experiences. Your Table 2 section stood out too, especially how you mixed practical stuff like ergonomics with self-care and affirmations. I thought your take on remote work was interesting, and I love that your agency has tech days built in to reduce burnout. And I agree with you about Ratcliff’s definition. It could have gone deeper into the emotional and physical aspects. The mentor idea was a great point too. Having someone who really understands what you’re dealing with makes a big difference. Hope you’re having a productive semester 🙂
Ariel,
You made my back and neck hurt just hearing your description of your remote work. I couldn’t help m y self, so I found a YouTube video talking about how to set up your at home work space from a physical therapist. It looked pretty good to me – in fact I am making some changes in my own space because of her suggestions.
https://youtu.be/7YDeeb5SGkc
I think you have a real life understanding of what burn out feels like. I hope that these articles empowered you to think about how you can address it. You talk about ways to mediate the effects, but, ad with all of us, you know that it is easier to write them down than to actually do them.
It is interesting to read your disc;unison fo your continued use of technology-=mediated practice. I think DFACS will have to rethink the relationship between remote and in-person contact as we move forward in dealing with all the factors that brought us to this point. We will be discussing what we are missing by not having in-person connections in the next couple of weeks.
As an FYI, if you place your image in the featured image section of the post page (on the right side with all the menus, all the way at the bottom, where it says “set featured image” then we can all see it better at the top of your post.
Good job on this post.
Dr P